What Doesn't Kill You
by xColoneless67x
Summary: Amy had always been the average 21st century girl, but her life encounters a drastic change when a strange man is suddenly thrust into her world. She has a hard time adjusting to the change, but she doesn't realize how hard it is for him. Tav/OC.
1. You What!

**AN: Well, here goes my first attempt a multi-chapter story. Try to bear with me and we'll see where this goes, eh? Also, this had very little planning in advance so I have no idea where exactly it's going to end up. A nice blank slate. Now for the disclaimer! I do not own the Patriot, or the characters... sadly... but I have twisted this little plot just for me and anyone who wants to read it. If there are any similarities between this story and any other, it was not intentional and I'm sorry. Now go ahead and read!!**

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Friday night had come quickly, and with it the same routine that had been carried out almost every Friday night since I had my thirteenth birthday party. A pizza was ordered and an On Demand movie was rented. Sara, the closest of my friends, came over at the designated time and the fun began.

The doorbell rang as I dropped the paper plates onto the Dominos box, and I didn't need to look at the clock to know that it was 8 o'clock sharp. Sara never showed any earlier and she never showed any later. I headed to the door and twisted the broken knob, adding an extra jerk for good measure. The door opened with its usual creaking and I was greeted with an exhausted looking nineteen year old red-head. Her arms were loaded with buckets of paintbrushes, different jars of paints and dozens of scrolls and canvases.

"Fix that damn door sometime, I didn't think I was going to make it." Sara grunted as she shuffled past me and fell to her knees just inside the small apartment. She released her load, setting everything carefully into little piles as not to crush anything.

"You couldn't leave all that in your car?" I asked raising an eyebrow as I watched her, shutting the door.

"Are you insane?!" She instantly barked at me. "This is hours, I repeat hours of work! Not to mention these are professional grade brushes that cost me several pay checks! I'm not going to risk them being stolen!"

I had to press my hand firmly over my mouth to prevent the hysterical laughter that wanted so badly to burst out. Her reaction reminded me of an animal protecting its young. Hostile to say the least.

"Oh yes," I finally answered. "I can see why you'd be worried. I know how dangerous it is to leave paintbrushes out and unprotected. They're as valuable as flat screen TVs and Mercedes.." I tried to sound as serious as possible. She turned around and glared daggers at me.

"You don't understand, Amy. Just pretend that my art supplies are your medical tools. Can you see the importance they hold?" She explained, softening her tone as she sat back on her heels and stared lovingly over her equipment.

I sighed and walked to stand beside her, looking down at the organized clutter. "Yes, I can understand. Now can we please get started on the movie? I really want to see that Lindsay Lohan flick. The one where she has the twin sister or something."

Sara looked up at me and grimaced. "The Parent Trap? Didn't that come out when we were like... in the middle of birth?"

I rolled my eyes and shoved my hands into my sweater pockets. "No, loser. The one that's supposed to be scary. She has like a twin or an identity crisis and she thinks she's a stripper. It's called... uhm... I Know Who Killed Me. I think that's it."

Realization dawned on her features and she smiled. "Oh! I know what you're talking about. Is the pizza here?"

"Can't you smell it?" I asked, looking in the direction of the coffee table that held the heavenly food.

"Excellent, help me up." She extended her arms and bent her knees.

"You really that lazy?" I asked, grabbing her hands and pulling her from the floor.

"No, I'm weak from trudging up those damned stairs with that ton in my arms. I feel faint and I need to eat."

There was a rather large set of stairs outside my house because of it's position on a hill. I grinned as I strutted over to the couch and flopped down on the middle cushion. "I still think you're lazy."

She dropped like a brick onto the love seat and stuck out her tongue. "I think you need to shut up. Start the movie." She leaned over and grabbed the box of pizza, placing it on her lap. I knew that I wouldn't be getting any.

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The movie ended about an hour and a half later and we stared at the credits, giving our opinions.

"That was... interesting. I like her better as a red-head, though." Sara yawned as she stood and stretched out her arms. I wondered if her own hair color left her biased. Crumbs fell from her bunched up sweat pants and I groaned, stretching out my legs as I leaned over the arm of the couch.

"You're going to vacuum my carpet!" I complained. "You get crap everywhere. Like a twister... only messier."

She stared at me for a heartbeat and then ran her hand over her thigh in a swift, quick motion, purposely knocking the rest of the crumbs onto my floor.

"Whore." I sighed, yawning as well as I dropped my feet to ground and stood up.

"You know it. I'm gonna head home now. I want to get there before the rush." She slipped her feet into her flip-flops and adjusted her t-shirt as she trudged to the door. "Be a good friend and help me get all this back to my car."

I followed closely behind her and zipped my sweater. "What rush is there at 10 o'clock?"

"You know.. Cars and stuff. Whatever. Chances are if there's an old person parade I'll get behind them so let's goooo." She bent down and picked up the buckets, along with a basket of jars. I grabbed all the paper and canvas and together we struggled to open the door.

A few minutes later I shut the same stupid door behind me and looked out the window as the ancient Cavalier pulled away from the curb. My apartment was so old it didn't even have a parking lot. I kicked off my shoes and dragged myself to the TV, popping in my Blades of Glory DVD. I was tired and that was just the thing to help me into a good night's sleep. Falling back onto the couch, I pulled the quilt from the back and draped it over me, using the DVD remote to skip to the first scene.

By the time Chazz was getting stoned with the woodland fairies I could hear heavy raindrops pounding into the roof. As Sara and I were loading her things into her car, it had begun to sprinkle, a storm clearly defined in the clouds. Not a bit of the moon was visible and the wind was almost violent. Sara had nearly hyperventilated as she crammed her work to safety and again I had to deny myself the opportunity to laugh. Really, I looked forward to a good storm. It hadn't rained in nearly a month and the grass wasn't looking too good. By the time Chazz and Jimmy were in jail, the storm had become violent and I had fallen asleep.

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I was suddenly awake, and I didn't even realize it until I heard the loudest crack of thunder that I had ever heard in my eighteen years of life. The room was pitch black, and not even the cable box held light. It was obvious that the power had gone out sometime earlier and I jerked slightly as a bright blue-ish light filled the apartment like the flash of a camera. Again, there was a booming crack of thunder and I had to force my heart to slow down. I had always found thunderstorms beautiful but ones like tonight also scared me. I fell onto my back and stared up at the ceiling, trying to find a happy place of sorts in my mind that would help me back to sleep.

The thunder only got louder and the lightning only got brighter and I realized that I had never witnessed a storm that intense. The thought wasn't comforting. I wondered whether or not if I should check the TV for any tornado alerts but when I remembered that the power was out, I was forced to stay where I was. It took nearly twenty minutes but I finally managed to fall back to sleep, though it was anything but peaceful.

The next time I opened my eyes, a blinding light was directly aimed at my pupils. I hissed and rolled over, pushing the tips of my fingers to my eyelids as the pain faded away.

"Dammit.." I groaned, sitting up. I slowly and carefully re-opened my eyes and took a look around the room. Everything was exactly the same as it had been the day before. I guessed that there hadn't been a tornado. I stretched my arms above my head and looked to the cable box, reading the time. It was almost 7 o'clock. Almost. I yawned and debated shutting the blinds and going back to bed but a part of me told me to stay awake.

I reluctantly stood up and picked up the empty pizza box and paper plates, carrying them to the kitchen garbage. After I had finished that task, I turned on the radio and tidied up the rest of the livingroom, folding the quilt and fixing the couch pillows. After I vacuumed Sara's dinner mess I headed to my room, picking out some clean clothes. I took a hasty shower and dressed, pulling my hair into a small pony tail. As I was preparing to go grocery shopping, my phone rang.

I walked over to the cordless and lifted the black plastic phone from the receiver, pushing it to my ear.

"Hello, Amy speaking." I didn't have even a second to prepare as a high pitched scream rang through the line. I jerked the phone away and winced on reflex. "Sara, what's wrong? Stop screaming." The yelling was instantly substituted with quick and indiscernible speaking. I was used to Sara's episodes but this one had me worried. "Sara, hun, you have to slow down. I can't understand you."

There was a sudden pause and everything went silent. I heard her take a deep breath and as calmly as she could force, she spoke again. "Get out here, now. I need your help." Then there was a series of odd breathing sounds and squeaks.

"Okay, fine. Where are you? Are you hurt?" I asked, running to the door and stepping into my shoes.

"No. I'm fine. For now I'm fine but I may not be soon." She said before pausing and taking a few deep breaths.

"Where are you?" I asked again, plucking my keys from the wall hook.

"I'm outside your apartment." She said completely calm. I was caught off guard and I pulled back the curtain, looking outside. Sure enough, she was parked across the street at the curb.

"I'll be right there." I clicked off the phone and dropped it before struggling with the door. Once outside, I hustled down the stairs to the sidewalk. When the traffic cleared, I crossed the street and ran to the little gray Cavalier.

When I reached her, Sara was flat against her steering wheel, knuckles as white as her face. She quickly rolled down the window and looked up at me as though she was going to throw up.

"What's wrong? What happened?" I asked, opening her door. I froze at the sight of red smeared across her shirt and shorts. "Tell me that's paint!"

Her knees were shaking violently and she shook her head. "N-no. I think I killed someone!"

I looked over her, alarmed. "You what?!"

"I didn't mean to! I saw a man leaning against my car and I thought that he wanted to steal my brushes, you know I left them inside because of the rain, so I grabbed my broom and ran out, yelling at him. Then I hit him with the handle and he fell to the ground. Then he didn't move, so I rolled him over and he was passed out and bleeding! I didn't mean to kill him! I'm going to jail!!" She began to bawl hysterically and I wondered how she had the breath.

I grabbed her shoulders and shook her roughly. "Where is he?" I asked as softly as I could manage.

"The back seat." She cried, burying her face in her hands. I looked over her shoulder, hoping above all hopes that she was wrong. I could settle for delusional, but not for murderer. Instead, I saw a pair of legs.

I screamed and jerked back, hitting my head on the top of the door frame. She began to scream too and I covered my mouth, shutting my eyes and trying to calm my heart before we both had panic attacks.

I walked around to the other side of the car and opened the passenger side door, pushing the seat forward to get access to the back seat. Even though I had seen his legs, it was still shocking to see the rest of him. I could see where he was bleeding and I slowly leaned forward, pressing shaking fingers to the side of his throat. I nearly cried when I felt a pulse.

"Sara.." I said above the sound of her sobs. When she didn't stop I cleared my throat. "Sara! He's not dead. You didn't kill him.." It felt relieving to even hear myself say it. She began to cry louder and I turned around, slapping her between the front seats. "Calm down, take deep breaths. We need to get him to a hospital." I instructed, crawling back out of the car and pushing the seat back to it's original position. I sat down and shut the door.

"The..the hospital? Can't you fix him? Like.. You're a doctor basically!" She tried to persuade me, twisting her shirt in her fingers nervously.

"What? No I can't _fix_ him! He's lost a lot of blood and he needs medical attention, now. So drive!" I ended in a yell when she made no move to even start the car.

"Fine!" She yelled back, jamming her keys into the ignition with shaky fingers. The car was started and she pulled away from the curb without even checking for oncoming traffic.

She drove like a mad woman and I was wondering if we would all three need to see a doctor when we finally got there. We were both silent for most of the drive, both afraid of what would happen. Would he die? Would Sara be arrested? When the thought flashed through my mind I wondered whether or not if I should have driven. Who knew if she would bail at the last minute and drive to Mexico instead?

"Amy... Is he breathing?" She asked, finally breaking the silence. I waited several seconds before turning around in my seat to check. I was scared to look. I was afraid I would have to say no.

I held my fingers out and closed my eyes when I felt the side of his neck, breathing a sigh of relief when I felt a pulse. It was weak, but it was still there. Opening my eyes, I slowly moved my gaze upward, taking in his face for the first time. He had lovely features, with amazing bone structure and a strong nose and chin. It was terrible to see such a face covered with such ghostly skin. I moved my hand up and rested my fingers under his nose until I felt a light breeze.

"Well?" Sara asked worriedly, turning slightly in her seat.

"Yes. He's breathing. But he really doesn't look good at all..." I bit my lip and looked down at the source of the blood. There was a dark circle in the bottom of his chest. It was still bleeding and I was concerned that he would bleed to death. I reached out and put pressure to the spot, grimacing when the blood covered my fingers.

Shortly after our check for life, the large hospital came into view. We both gave a relieved sigh and there was a break in the tension. Sara turned onto the Emergency Room lane and pulled up behind a parked ambulance. She stomped down on the break and there was a loud screech, catching the attention of several people. She immediately jumped from the car, waving her arms.

"We need some help!" She yelled to one of the staff members.

I pushed open my door and shoved the seat forward, leaning over the man again to check his pulse. It was even weaker than before and I reached up, feeling for the faint breath. It was there, but I wasn't sure how much longer it would be. After only a few seconds more staff appeared behind me, pulling a stretcher with them. I stepped aside and Sara joined me, leaning her head against the back of my shoulder as we watched the workers carefully pull the man from her car. One of the men turned to us, looking calm and professional.

"What happened?" Was his simple question that neither of us wanted to answer.

"I hit him." Sara answered in a shaky voice. "I hit him with a broom handle because I thought he was going to steal my... car..." She made only a minor change to her story when she realized how ridiculous she would sound fearing for her paint brushes.

"You hit him with a broom handle? That's what put him in this condition?" He asked, eyeing us as though we were crazy.

"Well..." Sara mumbled, wondering why he didn't believe her. "He did fall when I hit him... I guess he hit something." She bit her lip and crossed her arms. We both watched as the man was removed and set carefully on the stretcher. For the first time I took in his full appearance. He was dressed in some kind of red uniform with green trim, boots and some kind of sword sheath at his side. Who the hell was he?

Deciding not to argue it, the staff man moved to different questions. "What's his name? Is he allergic to any kinds of medicine?"

Sara and I looked at each other, shaking our heads. "We don't know his name. We've never even seen him before. I thought he was trying to break into my car!"

"Well sometimes angry spouses or ex-partners may steal personal property to get back at the other person-" the man started to explain.

"He's not my _spouse_! I hit him with a broom!!" Sara yelled, invoking several stares from the smokers lingering nearby.

I reached over, rubbing her back lightly and whispering softly. "He has to ask, Sara, try to calm down." I could tell that she was freaking out from the mix of fear and anxiety.

The man in the red was wheeled into the hospital, the staff already taking care of him. After a few more questions, Sara and I decided that we wouldn't be able to stop thinking about him even if we tried so we hung out in the waiting room to see what happened. After about 25 minutes of waiting in silence, a thought played in my mind. Sara thought he was going to steal her brushes, so she ran out and hit him with a broom. A broom. I didn't realize I was smiling until Sara nudged me.

"What's so funny?" She asked, eyeing me curiously.

"Nothing." I answered. "It's just... you... you hit him with a broom." I felt the urge to laugh but I didn't want to upset her. "Is it possible to hurt someone with a broom?" For the first time I had thought clearly enough to realize that she obviously wasn't what had hurt him.

She stared straight ahead for several seconds, almost as if replaying the event in her mind. Suddenly her lips twitched up and I felt it was okay to let out a small giggle. The giggle turned into a light chuckle and joined with Sara's, turned into a large, loud, amazing tension releasing laugh. We laughed ourselves to tears, both smiling for the first time that day. It was hard to believe that only an hour or so before I was upset over crumbs on the floor.

After waiting for about an hour, we both fell into exhausted naps where we slept away another hour. I was awake maybe 15 minutes before Sara woke up, and we had to wait another 15 minutes before one of the doctors approached us.

"Amy and Sara?" He asked, drawing our attentions.

"Yes? How is he doing?" Sara asked, once again twisting her shirt.

"Well, it wasn't the broom that injured him, it was just the final blow. It appears that he was stabbed with some kind of odd blade, when is undetermined. He had a bandage around it to slow the bleeding but its still amazing that he didn't bleed to death. I'm guessing that he was looking for help when you... found him." He finished with a light cough. "But we do have him stable. He's on some antibiotics and he'll have to stay until his blood levels are back to normal. There's an infection but it should disappear with the meds. We didn't find any identification, are you sure you have no idea who he is?"

We both shook our heads. "Sorry but no."

He nodded and dropped his hands into his pockets. "Thank you for bringing him in. I think another hour may have even done him in." Even though it was a doctor saying it, the truth was difficult to believe. "The medicine will keep him asleep at least the rest of the day, but other than that, he should be fine."

The doctor left, leaving Sara and I to sit in silence once more. After a few minutes we decided to leave, spending all day there wouldn't change anything.

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The ride home was quiet for the most part, though the mood was much different than it had been the first drive. There was no erratic swerving, no panic, no worry, no rushing adrenaline... just disbelief. It was hard to accept all that had happened in a matter of hours, that the day could have been so eventful all before lunch. Neither of us allowed ourselves to look in the backseat for we knew that the stains would be there, as surely as they were on Sara's clothes. I was lucky enough to have soap and water but she wasn't that fortunate. We decided that we weren't hungry and once we reached my apartment, I didn't even want to get out of the car. Home seemed too normal for that kind of day. But we couldn't stay parked there all day so I climbed out, we said our goodbyes, and I watched her drive away.

When the door shut behind me, I looked around at the empty space, wishing someone was there to just sit with me. I went to my room and changed my clothes, then spent the remainder of the day playing Mario Kart on my old Nintendo 64 and doing loads of laundry. By the time 10 o'clock rolled around, I was tired and the nagging in my stomach had me ready to flip out and do something crazy. I decided to go to bed instead of acting on my irrational thoughts. The last thing I needed was to eat half the tub of Cookies n' Creme ice cream that was sitting nicely in my freezer next to the Reese's Cups. That was simply insane. But perhaps I needed insane... No. Sleep would do just fine.

I let my head drop to the pillow, pulling the sheets to my chin and stared at the shadows that danced across my window. The nagging in my stomach wouldn't let me sleep and the harder I tried to not think about the man in the red uniform, the more I actually did think about him. It was infuriating to say the least. Finally giving in, I sighed and rolled over.

"I'll visit him tomorrow." I mumbled aloud to myself, instantly relieved when the nagging feeling disappeared. Yes, that's what I would do. "I'll visit him tomorrow."

**AN: Well there you have Ch. One : It took forever to type up and not very long to read. I'm a fan of short chapters myself haha. R&R maybe? Also, I'm sorry that a certain sexy colonel wasn't exactly active yet, but I promise that he will show up very, very soon. Xo**


	2. What To Do With You?

**AN: Well, here we are for the second part of our adventure. I thank everyone who left reviews on the first chapter!! It was very appreciated. One girl asked me a question and now, just to clear up any doubt, this is a time-travel fic. It isn't a reincarnated Tavvy, just a Tavvy that was 'poofed' to our time. Well I hope you like this chapter :D**

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When I told myself that I would "visit him tomorrow," I failed to realize that "tomorrow" started as early as the next morning. As I stared at the cup of coffee before me, I tapped my fingers against the polished surface of my dining table, wondering whether or not I should call Sara. I highly doubted that she would want to join me, but I wasn't sure that I could go without her. She was my security blanket of sorts and she had been since the fifth grade. Finally convincing myself that I didn't need her, I grinned and wrapped my fingers around the warm mug. I was a big girl now. I could do things myself. I inhaled deeply, taking in the sweet aroma of the black brew.

"Hello, Sara? Yeah it's me." I spoke into the phone, pacing the length of my livingroom.

"Oh hi! Sorry I didn't call last night, my mom called me up and... Oh crap! He didn't die did he??" She blurted out the ending and before she could panic I interrupted her.

"No, Sara, I'm sure he's fine. I was actually about to leave and I was wondering if you could come with me when-" I started to ask my question but I heard her hum, knowing instantly it would be a no.

"Sorry, but I can't. Remember? I have that job interview today. I have to leave in an hour, but I totally would, really. Wherever you're going, maybe we could go some other time?" She offered softly and I tried to hide my disappointment.

"No, hun, that's fine. I can go alone. Good luck at your interview though, I'll keep my fingers crossed okay?" I tried to sound happy for her but when we disconnected I felt a different kind of nagging in my stomach. I could tell easily that it was nervousness. It appeared that I wouldn't be escorted by my blanket this time.

The forty-five minute drive to the hospital seemed decades shorter than it had been the previous day, though for this trip there was a completely different silence. There was no one sitting a foot away, no. There was just me, myself, and I alone with all my thoughts. One of said thoughts was "why." Why was I heading out there? Was it guilt? Was it worry? No, that couldn't be it. I didn't feel guilty, I hadn't done anything wrong. I also didn't feel any worry, the doctor had said he would be fine. Perhaps it was just curiosity. I had no idea who he was or where he had come from and maybe that alone was what drew me to him. Then again, does everyone who meets a complete stranger get the nagging urge to go and visit them? Definitely not, but I was going to humor myself just this once and see what happened.

I pulled into the first available parking space and turned off the engine, pulling out my keys slowly as I listened to the song that was playing quietly until I opened the door. When I stepped out, everything was quiet and still, the exact opposite of everything that was happening inside. Even before one foot hit the shiny surface of the hospital floor, the change was painfully obvious. There was the sound of crying babies, voices on the intercom, and staff members walking briskly to and fro. How the hell had I not noticed all of that yesterday? I was tempted to step back outside and get a moment of silence but I had already had enough silence to last me quite a while. I approached the desk, forcing a smile at the secretary sitting surrounded by mounds of paper and gum wrappers.

"Can I help you dear?" She asked sweetly, flashing a mouthful of coffee treated teeth and grandmother eyes.

"Yes, I think so. I was wondering how to find a room, only I don't know the man's name. He's an adult and he came in here yesterday with a stab wound?" I tried to sound as specific as I could, though I failed miserably. Surely he wasn't the only man there who fit that description.

"Ah, you probably mean Mr. John Doe. He's up two floors, room 317. There's no name on him yet and no family has shown up. You're going to be his first visitor." As she spoke, she chewed her gum loud and open mouthed, finishing with the flash of another toothy smile. I thanked her and headed to the elevator.

When I reached the right floor, I took an appreciation of the relaxed atmosphere. It was a completely different world in comparison to just a few feet below. I started down the long hall, keeping track of the numbers on each door and which order they were going. It took only a minute to find room 317, and it took even longer to realize that I was staring right at it. I finally reached forward, giving the cold metal handle a twist. I stopped myself and pulled my hand back, deciding to instead curl my fingers into a small fist and knock lightly. When there was no answer, I knocked a little harder.

"Hello?" I called softly, listening carefully for any response. When again, there was none, I took hold of the handle once more and twisted it. The lock clicked back and I took a deep breath, pushing the door slowly. Perhaps there would be an answer if I called "Marco."

"Hello?" I called again instead, peeking inside the dark room. I reluctantly looked toward the bed, relaxing when I didn't see any movement. I stepped into the room, the only sound being the constant beep, beep, beep of a heart monitor.

I walked over to the bed, admiring the crisp white sheets that were tucked neatly around the sleeping form. Sitting down on the small chair by the side table, I leaned back observing the different machines by his bed, watching the shift of numbers. I sat there for who knows how long before I even looked at the actual man sleeping a foot away. When I finally did, I noticed with a small measure of joy that his color was significantly better than it had been the last time I looked at him, even in the dark. It was easy to notice the light tan, revealing that he obviously spent time outside. There was a lighter tan line on either side of his face, as if some strap had been there and I wondered if maybe he was a fan of bike riding.

I crossed one leg over the other and relaxed my hands over my knee, feeling somewhat more comfortable with the fact that he was out cold. My gaze drifted over his eyes, closed and completely still and I found myself wondering what color they were. I next looked at his mouth, relaxed with his lips slightly parted. There was a light stubble across his face, the same dark color as his hair which was longer than most men's and pulled back with an odd ribbon of some kind.

I thought back to the odd uniform he had been wearing before, and I played different careers over in my mind. Perhaps some branch of the military, though I thought that blue was generally the used color. In the end, I couldn't think of any job that used a uniform like that one other than one of Santa's elves. The problem with that theory was that it was the middle of summer... not to mention I doubted Santa's elves needed swords.

I stayed there for about fifteen minutes, thinking of every question under the sun that I wanted to ask him. When I realized my intense curiosity of him, I felt a bit like a stalker. Again I wondered why I was even visiting him. I could imagine him waking up to find a complete stranger sitting at his bedside. With that thought in mind, I decided that I wouldn't come back. He didn't need a good scare on top of what had already happened. I stood to leave, looking carefully over him one last time. In my mind I said goodbye to Mr. John Doe.

As if on cue, there was a light twitch of his fingers, startling me. I gasped and jumped back, knocking the heavy door shut with a loud bang. Pushing my hand to my chest, I inhaled deeply, my heart racing. I had never been one to like surprises, and that (no matter how minor) was quite a surprise in my book. I quickly turned, opening the door and rushing back out into the hall. A boy about my age, dressed in trainer scrubs, headed in my direction.

"Is everything all right?" He asked me, looking in the direction of the room I had just exited.

"What?" I turned and looked back, remembering that I had slammed the door. "Oh, that... Yes everything is fine. Just got a little... caught off guard, that's it."

I walked away, embarrassed, and sighed once I was back in the elevator. I rubbed my fingers over my eyes, looking up to find a little girl no older than six staring at me.

"I like your shirt." She said with a smile. "It matches your face."

I watched her curiously before looking down at my pink tee. "Um... thanks." I replied, now fully aware that the embarrassment hadn't worn off. "I like your shirt too. Is that a..."

She looked down and smiled brightly as the elevator stopped, two more people stepping inside. "It's a bunny! Happy Bunny actually. I'm Gabrielle. You can call me Gabby." She introduced.

From the looks of her shirt, Happy Bunny apparently thought I was ugly. I wasn't sure whether to laugh or grimace. "Nice to meet you, Gabrielle. I'm Amy... where's your parents?"

"I dunno." She shrugged, leaning against the wall as the elevator stopped at the ground level.

As I stepped out, I saw her reach forward and push several floor buttons. I wondered where on the green earth her parents were. My question was answered a moment before I reached the glass doors, as a hysterical woman ran through the lobby screaming "Gabby Lee!" I winced and suppressed a chuckle as I left the building thinking _that poor woman_.

The drive home had me smiling as I thought about my minor embarrassment and that little girl's shirt. Katy Perry came on the radio, singing about how she kissed a girl and she liked it, and I soon found myself singing along, all worries left behind. A few great bands later I was pulling up to the curb in front of my apartment, feeling just about normal.

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I told myself that I wouldn't go back again to see him, so I didn't. I still felt the strong curiosity toward him but I didn't allow myself near my car when the nagging returned.

And then my cell went off. I felt it vibrate my entire pocket as I was sitting outside on the steps, trying to transfer one of my plants into a bigger pot. When I felt it go off, I automatically reached for it, but stopped when I saw my hand. It was completely covered with soil, even under the nails.

"Aw, come on." I grumbled, trying to quickly remove as much of the dirt as I could. The vibrating stopped but started up again thirty seconds later. I shoved my hand into my pocket, pulling out the phone and flipped it open, holding it to my ear. "Hello?"

"Hey, it's me." Sara greeted in her usual chipper tone.

"Oh hey, what are you doing?" I asked, resuming my task with the plant.

"I'm actually about to get off _work._" She answered with pride in her voice.

"What? Work?" I was slightly confused. I knew that she had went for a job interview the day before but...

"Yeah, they hired me! I got to start today because they were really short on staff. Isn't that great?" She sounded excited and I was happy for her.

"That is great, congratulations!"

"Thanks. Speaking of work... I was wondering if you could come pick me up."

I laughed lightly and rolled up the bag of potting soil. "Where's your car?"

"It's in the shop. I'm having the back seat re-upholstered. So what about it?" She asked again.

"Yeah, sure. Where are you exactly?" I asked, standing and picking up the plant.

"Columbia Museum of Art. That museum across from the library, down on Taylor." She tried to explain, but I had no idea where Taylor Street was. After a few more detailed directions, I had a general idea where I was going.

We hung up and I carried the plant inside, sitting it on the floor beside my fish tank stand, proud that most of the leaves were still in place. I went to the bathroom and washed my hands thoroughly before grabbing my purse and heading out to my car.

I went where she told me to go, the first forty minutes fairly easy since it was the same way we used to get to the hospital. When I passed the large building, I looked over for a few brief glances, already smelling that hospital air. The next ten minutes was a little more difficult as I entered the busy business district with traffic flowing every direction imaginable. It took me nearly fifteen extra minutes to find the museum that was basically screaming _here I am._

She was waiting outside when I pulled up, and I'm sure she could tell from my face that I was sorry it took so long to find her. She slid into the passenger seat and clicked on her seatbelt, giving me a bright smile.

"Thanks, I know it's a long drive. But it is so worth it, I promise. Being around famous art all day..." I actually thought she was getting chills. "The best job ever."

I smiled back and carefully eased into traffic. "I'm sure it is. How was your first day?"

"It was pretty good. But," She paused, "I'm hungry. We should get lunch."

I felt hungry myself so I wasn't going to pretend that I didn't want to eat. "Okay, what do you want?" I glanced over at her and saw her do that weird shifting your eyebrows up and down thing. I laughed and shook my head. "What is that?"

"You know what I want." She grinned evilly.

"You're weird." I commented quietly, though I did know what she wanted.

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"Yes, I'd like a Big Mac meal, please, with a sprite and... a Quarter Pounder meal with a Dr. Pepper." I spoke into the speaker, watching my order appear on the screen.

"Make sure I get a large fry! Large fry!" Sara basically yelled, leaning over me to see the screen.

"Can I get a large fry with that Big Mac?" I asked, watching the change.

"Is that all?" A boy's voice asked.

"Yep, that's it."

"We're going to get fat aren't we?" She asked me, looking down as if to measure the size of her belly.

"Yes, I think so. But I'm cool with that."

We pulled around and paid, then waited as we were handed our bags. We started home again, and much like the first time I gazed over at the hospital as we passed it. When I turned back to the road, I noticed from the corner of my eye that Sara had been looking over too.

"I may never look at that place the same way." She said softly, pulling out her Big Mac.

"I know what you mean." I replied, pulling out my fries and setting them between my thighs.

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Shortly after we passed the hospital, the city park stretched out on our right side. It reminded me of a movie, the way the grass was perfect with the tall trees and flowers everywhere. It had old fashioned benches and paved walkways filled with pigeon feeders and dog walkers. Sara looked out the window as she ate, suddenly nudging me.

"We should stop, looks like they're having a mini-carnival or something. They might have cotton candy." She asked.

I pulled up to a red light and looked over, shaking my head. "You already have enough food for a baby elephant, neither of us need cotton candy." I turned back, waiting for the light to change to green.

"Oh... oh my god... Amy!" She yelled, all the forgotten food on her lap falling to the floor.

"Sara! I'll get you some cotton candy later! You're making a mess-" I started to scold her, bending over to pick up the food myself.

"Forget the cotton candy! Look!" She screamed this time, pushing her nose against the window.

I looked over, wondering what was so important and felt my jaw drop. "Oh my..."

"God." She finished.

Standing halfway across the park was a certain wounded man who should have been in the hospital. He was still wearing the little gown. To make it even more strange, it appeared he was fighting with a policeman on horseback, trying to take his horse.

Horns sounded behind me and I looked up, seeing a green light, so I pulled to the right and drove a little closer to the park. I parked in the first available spot and we both climbed out, staring open jawed at the scene. Several other pedestrians were watching as well, looking just as surprised as we were. We stayed at a distance until the officer hopped down off his horse and seemed to be warning the man, at which point Sara took off across the grass.

"Sara! What are you- Sara come back!" I yelled, following behind her. She reached the officer about 20 feet before me and both men looked over her like she was a nutter.

"Ma'am could you please back up? Sir, you cannot have my horse. I am going to tell you one more time and I advise that you listen. I will have to ticket your behavior if you do not comply with my orders." The officer told the man.

The man sneered with a look that I never would have pictured on his face.

"Well how else do you suggest that I get back to Fort Carolina? Something _very_ odd is happening to me and..." He started when the officer raised his hand.

"Sir, I have no idea what you're talking about and I'm very sorry but..."

The man suddenly grabbed the horse's reins, yelling. "Damn your sympathies, give me the bloody horse!"

The officer reached for his baton and before I knew what I was doing, I jumped forward holding my hands up.

"Woah! Officer, wait! Ur... this man is ill, he doesn't know what he's doing. As you can see he just got out of the hospital." I said, watching the officer lower his hand.

"Who are you?" He asked, eyeing Sara and I suspiciously.

"Oh... uhh... I'm Amy, and this is my best friend..."

"Sara." She cut in.

"Who is this man?" He asked next.

"I've told you before, you fool! I'm William-" The man shouted, only to be interrupted by the officer.

"Silence!" He turned back to us. "He's be telling me that he's a General-"

"Colonel!"

"Excuse me, _Colonel, _in His Majesty's Beauty Shop or whatnot."

"Green Dragoons! How dare you-" He shouted, infuriated.

"He's mentally ill, sir." Sara interrupted him, trying to act normal. "He's really her cousin." She pointed to me and I felt my jaw drop for the second time.

"Is that true?" The officer asked me.

"Uh, oh yes. Yes, he's my cousin... my mentally ill cousin." I mumbled the end, not believing I was actually standing there.

"We came to take him home but he got out of the car and now he's here." Sara forced a cheery laugh. "But thank you officer, for taking such excellent care of him. We'll go now." She walked past me to the strange man and gently grabbed his arm. "Let's go William..."

He jerked his arm away. "Have you all completely lost your minds? Do you know who I am-" He started but Sara cleared her throat loudly.

"Come on William. You can either _come_ with us, or _go to jail_ with the nice officer." She smiled lightly and started towards the car.

I stared after her in shock for several seconds before looking back at the Officer and the lunatic man. "Well..." I clapped my hands and pointed my index fingers at Sara, mouthing _"I'm gonna go."_

The man seemed to weigh his options before following behind me. Sara stopped to let us catch up and I looked at her like _WHY?! _She shrugged her shoulders apologetically and mouthed _"Sorry."_

When we were all together, he looked over us cautiously. I looked over him just as cautiously, making sure there was no where he could be hiding a weapon with which to kill us.We reached the car and Sara opened her door, ready to sit down when we both noticed that he was staring at the car with an odd look on his features.

"What?" Sara asked, looking at the back door as if something was wrong. "We'll take you home, no big deal."

"What is that?" He asked, causing me and Sara to look at each other, both thinking "_What the hell?"_

I walked around the car to get to the driver side, getting behind him for the first time and gasped. "Oh Lord!" I turned around and covered my eyes, pushing a hand to my heart. Sara walked over, squeezing my arm lightly.

"What's wrong?"

"Look..." I whispered, pointing to his back. Unlike my reaction, she giggled and covered her mouth. The man's hospital gown, like most other hospital gowns, was nice and open in the back. And this man, had no pants on. Sara shrugged off her coat as I reached the driver's side.

"Why don't you slip this on... William was it?" She said, holding it out to him. He looked over it for a few seconds before slipping his arms into the large sleeves. The long but thin coat was just long enough to hide the worst parts but he looked a bit silly. As if that even mattered.

He finally got in the car, looking extremely tense, and none of us knew what to say. So I started the car and looked into the rearview mirror. "I'll take you back to the hospital."

"No!" He shouted, lurching forward. "I am never, never going back there."

I screeched and threw my hands into the air in surrender. "Okay fine, I won't!" I took a shaky breath and gripped the steering wheel. "Where do you live?"

"Liverpool, England. But I need to get back to Fort Carolina... Where are we?" He switched the topic.

"Cowpens, South Carolina. Um... I don't know where "Fort Carolina" is..." I answered. When I peeked at him in the mirror he looked pale again, and I wondered if he really needed to get back to the hospital. "I'll tell you what. How about I take you back to my house, and I can Google where this "Fort Carolina" is? Does that sound okay?" I offered as I pulled back onto the street.

"Google?" He mumbled, looking rather tired.

"It's a deal." Sara said with a clap of her hands.

No one spoke for nearly the whole drive, until I looked into the mirror again to find the man asleep.

"Sara, is he asleep?" I asked quietly, pulling up in front of her house.

She turned around in her seat, poking his leg and getting no response. "Yeah." She whispered, amazed. "You know what?" She asked, turning to look at me.

"What?" I asked, humoring her.

"His man bits are touching that jacket." She said with a giggle.

I cringed. "I know. Isn't it gross?" I asked, looking over to find her staring at me, looking rather amused.

"You know what's worse?" She asked with a smirk.

"What?" I asked slowly.

"That's the coat I borrowed from you."

I was about to scream at her but instead flipped around in my seat to find that, sure enough, he was wearing one of my favorite coats. The light tan cottony-wool one with the belt tie... I wanted to cry.

"How could you?"

"Well, if it wasn't your coat it would be your backseat." She shrugged and stepped out.

"Sara?" I called.

"Yes?" She asked through the window as she shut her door quietly.

"If I don't call you by seven call the cops."

She laughed and saluted me. "Yes ma'am."

With that, I pulled away from the curb and made the rest of the drive to my house. It was a whopping three blocks from her house to my apartment, but it was a nerve-wracking drive full of glances in the rearview mirror. I really didn't want him to wake up, especially while I was alone. It was oddly un-nerving to be chauffeuring a strange, half naked, pant-less man around in the back seat of my car. But, my week was already shot, why try to make it work out now?

When I was at a complete stop outside my own building, I turned around in my seat, observing the man. He was still asleep, and I believed that I liked him better that way. "Not even wearing a seat belt..." I mumbled. I carefully moved my hand toward him, extended my index finger and poked his knee gently.

"Sir?" I whispered, actually afraid of him waking up. "Sir?" I voiced a tad louder, poking a bit harder. He didn't move so I gladly turned back around and hopped out of the car, making sure to take the keys with me. He could sleep all day for all I cared. I crossed the street after rolling down a window and rushed into my house.

When the door was shut behind me, I felt the urge to lock it and never open it again, but my conscious kicked in and I knew that it would be inhumane to leave him out there. I walked to my computer, thinking about each step and listening for any odd sounds as though someone was going to pop out at any time. Once the monitor was awake, I quickly Googled Fort Carolina, only to find that it was abandoned. Tours were given on the first Monday of every month but, unfortunately, that was not today. On the bright side, all children under twelve were given a free key-chain with the purchase of admission. How very exciting.

I sighed and rubbed my hands over my face, wondering what to do. Knowing that I had to, I headed back outside. With each step that brought me closer to my car, I could see a little more of the man inside. What had they said his name was? Edward or something? No... It had been... William.

I opened the driver side door and slid in, shutting the door and leaning back in my seat, agitated. I rested my elbow against the window and my hand supported my head as I glanced in the rearview mirror.

"What am I going to do with you, William?"

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**AN: Well there you have it. I for one am looking forward to the next chapter, where I will get to play with a certain man's mind. Until then, R&R? Xo**


	3. Who the Hell Are You?

**AN: Here is ch. 3, I hope you like it. Again, thanks so much for the reviews! Everyone has such nice things to say :D and it's very flattering. Now for the first time the colonel is going to really show some of his colors. Enjoy!**

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It took my neighbor Jeff and I over ten minutes to get William out of my car, across the street, up the stairs, through the stupid door and onto my couch without anyone hitting anything or getting an accidental handful of butt. It was hard not to be completely humiliated by having a half-naked man in my backseat wearing my favorite coat; and Jeff's questions weren't any more comfortable. I solved most of my problems by ignoring him completely, and the others were easily solved with "shut up". Once he had promised not to say anything and had gone back to his house, I was left alone wondering,_ what now?_

I didn't have to decide for three more hours, since the man slept like a rock no matter what I did. I avoided the livingroom, afraid of what would happen if he woke up and I was nearby. I honestly didn't believe he would be violent or anything of that nature, but I was afraid to know what he would say.

I spent my time in the diningroom, sitting at the table where I could easily see him, but still be a comfortable distance away. Every forty or so minutes I would get up and walk over to him, making sure that he was indeed sleeping and not dead. Much to my relief he never died, but he did wake up.

It was shortly after 6 o'clock and I was in the middle of a sentence, caught up in The Da Vinci Code when I heard a low grunt. As soft as it was, it caught my attention like a scream and I had to force myself to look nervously over the top of my book. He was in the sitting position, holding his hand to his abdomen as he looked around the room. His eyes reached the large arc that connected the two rooms, and a second later fell on me. He stared only a moment before resuming his scan. When he seemed satisfied he turned back to me.

"Where am I?"

It took several seconds for me to realize that he had spoken, and when I did I found it hard to answer. My mouth moved but I had to clear my throat to speak.

"You-you're at my house. I wasn't sure where to take you so..." I stuttered, feeling very much like a student speaking to the entire class. He didn't seem to feel very threatened so he relaxed against the couch, watching only me as if reluctant to look anywhere else.

I slowly looked away from him, pushing a marker between the pages of my book as I closed it, setting it down on the table. I ran my fingers along the edge, clearing my throat again as I looked back at him.

"Can I get you some coffee or something?" I wasn't sure exactly why I asked, perhaps just to end the silence.

"Coffee would be very welcome, yes." He answered, never looking away as I stood and walked to the kitchen.

Once inside, I slumped my shoulders and rolled my head back, already feeling the makings of a stress headache. That man made me more tense than anyone I had ever encountered. Nevertheless, I quickly brewed another pot of coffee, kneeling over the counter with my head rested across my folded arms. When I heard the pot finish, I poured some into mug and carefully carried it out of the room. I looked up once inside the livingroom to find William in the same place.

I crossed the room to stand before the couch, and with each step I wondered why I wasn't closer. When I was as near as I could force myself, I held out the mug, trying to control my arm's shaking as best as I could. He reached forward and took it, and I removed my hand quickly, careful not to touch his. When he had it, I sat on the love seat and scooted to the center, not wanting to be rude but not too close either.

"I hope black is okay, I don't have any milk right now." I spoke softly, looking at my lap as I laced my hands in front of me.

"I'm sure it's more than acceptable." Came his crisp reply. I was surprised by how professional he sounded, almost as if he were my boss about to ask me if he had any messages.

He took a few sips as I wrestled with my fingers. _He_ was the stranger in _my_ house but I had never felt so out of place.

"So where am I?" He asked, setting the mug down on the coffee table. I watched him for a moment, not sure how to answer.

"My house..." I started, quickly cut off with a wave of his hand.

"You have already told me that, in case you forget. I mean, where am I _exactly_?" His voice was calm, but I was surprised at it's cold tone.

"Sorry... Cowpens. Cowpens, South Carolina." I answered, trying to discreetly scoot back.

"Now you see, Miss, that is where you stand incorrect. It will do you no use to lie to me, so I will ask you again. Where exactly am I?" Again, his voice caught me off guard. Stern and smooth.

"I just told you, Cowpens..." Once more I was cut off with a flick of his hand, though this time his face laced with irritation.

"Wrong." He scolded. "I will ask you once more, no lies. Where exactly am I?"

I could feel my own frustration building.

"I told you the truth, Cowpens..." I was stopped a third time by the wave of his hand, his expression turning to one of complete agitation.

"Stop! You will not lie to me again! Where am I exactly?" He practically shouted it, his voice several volumes higher than it had been before and I felt a shiver run up my spine.

I sighed and stretched out my hands in front of me.

"You. Are. In. Cowpens..." I said, stressing each syllable.

"No!" He shouted, standing up so suddenly that I involuntarily leaned back. "There is no way that I am in Cowpens, South Carolina! Stop lying to me! Tell me where I am you deceitful little wen-"

I jumped up, balling my fists at my sides and feeling my own anger take control.

"I'm not lying! This is Cowpens, South Carolina!"

"Impossible! This place is not the Cowpens that I remember!" He was full out yelling at me by now and I was mad enough myself to not care.

"Well I don't know what to tell you! I've lived here my whole life and nothing has really changed so you're just going to have to calm..." I stopped my rant as I looked down, all anger dissipating. "You're bleeding."

He looked down as well, huffing and covering his abdomen once more. "It's nothing." He took a deep breath and returned his gaze to me, swallowing thickly in what I guessed was an attempt to control his outrage.

Pushing all my feelings aside, I moved forward to get a better look. "Let me help you." I said softly as my fingers touched the soft fabric of his hospital gown.

He immediately shoved my hands away, taking a step back. "I don't need your help!" He hissed, turning to the side so only he could reach it.

"Just let me look, I could help. You've probably pulled your stitches..."

"No. I can handle it myself, I've dealt with worse." He looked back to me, a serious but significantly softer expression on his face. "Perhaps I could use your washroom for a bit?"

I wasn't quite sure if he meant it as a question or a suggestion but I nodded, stepping around the coffee table, gesturing for him to follow me. "It's at the end of the hall, the second to last door on the left." I explained, leaning against the wall as he passed by me. When he reached the door, I slid my hands into my pockets and stood up straight. "There's a robe on the back of the door... you may like it more than the coat." I turned and walked back to the livingroom, sitting down and leaning back against the arm.

I heard the door open as soon as I was comfortable and he appeared at the end of the hall a few seconds later.

"Is there a bucket of water that I may use to wash up? I had assumed there would be one in the washroom but it appears that I am quite wrong." He spoke in the same authoritative voice that he had used earlier and I raised an eyebrow.

"A bucket of water?" I sat up and looked around, running my fingers through my hair. "No, I'm sorry. I don't have any buckets... Is there something wrong with my sink?" I wondered if I should even have asked, with the kind of day that was turning out to be.

"Your sink?" He repeated, raising an eyebrow of his own.

"Yes, my sink." I stood up and walked back to the hall, passing him and stepping into the bathroom. Everything looked the same as it had that morning. I took hold of the knobs, twisting them and watching as water poured out. I turned the water off and looked back to the doorway to find him standing there with an odd look on his face.

"Nothing's wrong with it..." I pointed out, turning the knobs again. As the water once again poured out, I picked up the stopper and pushed it over the top of the drain to keep it from escaping. He took a step forward, looking rather interested in the sink as I turned to the cabinet and opened it, pulling out a washcloth. "There's towels and everything else in there, if you need them." I set the cloth down on the edge of the sink and stepped out of the bathroom, shutting the door behind me.

I gladly resumed my place on the couch, closing my eyes as I thought over what to do next. He emerged about twenty minutes later, wearing the robe that I had told him about. It was powder blue with silk around the end of each sleeve, but it was a step up from the hospital gown.

"Better?"

"Much." He answered, walking back to the couch and sitting down slowly. His face didn't show any emotion but I wondered if he was in pain.

"I looked up Fort Carolina. It's not open for another few weeks so..."

"What do you mean it's not _open_?" He asked, once again talking to me as if I were four.

"I mean, it's been abandoned. It only opens the first Monday of each month and that was a week ago." I wondered if he would start shouting again, and I mentally prepared for it.

Instead, he sighed and looked somewhere over my head.

"Is there somewhere else I could take you? Obviously I can't afford to go to England but..." I let the offer hang in the air and he simply shook his head.

"No. I have nowhere else to go." He exhaled deeply and rolled his jaw.

I was afraid to say anything else, incase it upset him, but we couldn't just sit there and wait for everything to clear up.

"Do you have any money for a place to stay?" I asked, immediately wanting to slap myself. Of course he didn't have any money, at least not on him. I took his silence as a confirmed 'no.'

I looked over the man before me in an all new light, realizing that he had no money, no place to go... and was most likely mentally insane. Deciding to take my mind off of the situation, even if just for a little while, I stood and headed towards the kitchen.

"Where are you going?" He called after me, and I stopped, turning back to him.

"I'm going to make us dinner. I imagine it would be best for you to eat light so I'm going to make some soup. Chicken or tomato?" I gave a small smile, happy to see that he looked a little more relaxed himself.

"Whatever you prefer." He answered, and with that I exited the room.

When I was back in the kitchen, I took some Tylenol for my headache, pushing any worrying thoughts from my mind as best I could. With my incredibly impressive culinary skills, I heated up a few cans of good ol' Campbell's chicken noddle soup and set the table for two.

As I was setting down the glasses of iced water, the man appeared through the arc, observing the bowls. I pulled out a chair for him before sitting down in my own and resting my hands in my lap.

"I chose chicken noodle, incase you couldn't tell. Also, I wasn't sure if you wanted a fork or spoon, so I set out both." I said with small forced smile as he eased into his chair.

He sat motionless for a few seconds, looking at the soup as if mentally comparing it to something. After I lifted my spoon and began to eat, he finally picked up his own spoon and began to eat as well. While trying not to look at him, I noticed that after only one bite he stopped.

"Is it okay? I can make you something else." I offered, but he shook his head.

"No. No, it's fine. Just a bit different is all." He replied softly, and I decided that I preferred that tone to his bossy one. Although, I did wonder what could possibly be different about soup.

I tried to relax as I ate, though I failed miserably. He didn't seem too terribly uncomfortable, almost as if used to eating with strangers, but he did seem to have something on his mind. His eyes wandered the whole time and I couldn't think of anything to say to end the silence.

"What's your name?" He asked, and I looked up to find him watching me.

"Amy." I answered. "Amy Charles." I smiled lightly and looked down, spinning my spoon slowly. "So what's your name?" I asked a moment later, looking back to him.

"William Tavington." He replied sternly, but I sensed that he was almost reluctant to say it.

"Nice to officially meet you, William." I said warmly.

"The pleasure is all mine." He replied.

I played with my spoon again, full but not wanting to leave, should that be the most civilized that he would get.

"So... how did you get here?" I asked, peeking up then quickly back down.

"I don't really know, actually. It seems to me that I'm wrong about a lot of things lately."

I leaned back, looking to him. It was nice to hear him being... pleasant? I supposed that was a good word for it.

"Well, what do you think? You could be right." I said, smiling.

"Somehow I don't believe so." He answered softly. "After all, I don't even know where I am."

I resisted a grin and settled for a low sigh, tempted to say 'Cowpens' again just to see his reaction.

As if knowing what I was thinking, he took another sip of his water before clearing his throat and adding, "Despite what you've told me."

Shaking my head I picked up my bowl and his, carrying them to the kitchen after confirming that he was finished.

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I did a quick tidy-up before heading back to the livingroom to find William kneeling beside the tv, staring with interest.

"What is this?" He asked with a small, hidden amount of awe in his voice as he looked back at me.

"That would be my tv..." I answered, leaning back on the love seat. "William... are you Amish?" The thought had popped into my mind while I was doing the dishes and I figured that it would explain his interest in everyday items.

Turning back to me, he furrowed his brow. "Amish? No, I don't believe so."

I pushed my lips together and folded my arms, watching him. "How is it that you don't know what anything is? A car, a tv... Or are you just messing with me?"

"Messing with you-" He started.

"Because this is a little far to be taking a joke."

"This isn't a joke-" He began again.

"Especially if you really have no place to go." I found myself suddenly angry. How could a complete stranger play such an odd joke? It wasn't even funny. Pretending to be lost without any money or any place to go...

"Miss Charles!" He spoke harshly and I realized that I had been rambling aloud. "I assure you that I am being quite serious." He stood from the floor, grunting quietly and pushing his hand to his abdomen for a moment. He walked over and sat on the couch.

"Then be honest. If you're not Amish, how is it that you don't know anything? How could you get here all the way from England and not even recognize a car?" I sighed and pushed my head back, staring at the ceiling. "Are you mental?"

There was a minute of silence and I wondered what excuse he was creating in his mind.

"I came here on a large ship, courtesy of His Majesty's Army." He finally answered. "I have been re-stationed at many forts along with the Dragoons, but I spent the most time at Fort Carolina. That is where I had been stationed when... well when I happened to end up here."

I knew he was lying. Firstly, His Majesty's Army? What the hell was that? And secondly, there was no way he would be stationed at an out of use fort. The whole mental possibility began to look promising. Perhaps he was a schizophrenic?

"Okay, William. Assuming that you really did come here on a boat, where have you been staying? Obviously you forgot that I told you the fort was closed, so you must have been staying somewhere."

"I told you where I have been, I don't see why you won't believe me. In fact, I'm surprised that you don't even seem to know who I am." He ended in a way that a celebrity might talk about himself.

"Sorry. I've never heard of you. And," I slid my hand under my chin, "unless you're a sneaky homeless bum, you haven't been living in the fort."

He made an irritated sound and I waited for an outburst, happy when he remained calm. He inhaled deeply and closed his eyes before turning to me sharply.

"The Butcher. Does that name ring any bells?" He asked smoothly.

"Nope, sorry. Wait, do you work at a deli?" For some reason I couldn't picture myself asking him for half a pound of turkey.

"Are you mocking me?" He asked angrily and I held up my hands defensively.

"No! I'm simply waiting for your story to make sense!" I sighed and denied myself the pleasure of stomping my feet like an irate toddler.

After allowing myself a minute to calm down, I turned my gaze back on him and found him staring again at the tv.

"So. How long had you been living at the fort?" I decided to go along with his story in hopes that pieces would fit somewhere.

"About a year and a half now. Before that each stationing only lasted a few months."

I nodded and crossed my legs at the ankles, stretching them out in front of me.

"When did you leave England?" When I asked, he turned to me with a glare as if angry at the bombard of questions.

"Why do you want to know?" He asked to change the subject.

"Just curious is all. Are you going to answer?" I asked, again bringing up the question.

He sighed and looked around again, leaving me to wonder if it was a nervous habit of his.

"I can remember the exact date. December 13, it was cold and the sky was magnificently clear. I have yet to see a sky so blue." I thought he was going to smile until he looked over me almost as if critiquing. "Though I can't see why it's important."

I smiled and shrugged. "Just wondering. Now, how long have you been here? A few years, a lot of years?" I felt giddy in a small way, almost as if proud that he was actually answering my questions.

"It seems so long ago at some times, and so shortly ago at other times. I suppose it was actually... about six years time ago."

I was a little surprised to know he had been here for so long.

"Six years? Wow, I would say that's a pretty long time to be away from home."

"Six years well spent." He answered softly.

"Well 2009 is rolling around and you can add another year to your list." I said, smiling and reaching for his cup of now cold coffee.

He reached out and covered it with his hand, looking at me curiously.

"What do you mean 2009?" He asked slowly.

I laughed lightly and shrugged. "I mean, 2009. You know, that year that comes after 2008 and such."

He stood up abruptly and walked to the fireplace, staring at empty spot where the fire should have been. Turning back to me, he placed his hands on his waist and glared like I had offended him in some way.

"What are you talking about? There is no year 2008! 1781 has only just started." Again he was instantly angry with me and this time I was really worried.

"1781?" I wasn't sure whether to laugh or gape at him so I forced myself to take a deep breath and stand up, walking over to him. "Are you feeling okay? Maybe you have a fever..." I reached out my hand to check and he swatted it away.

"I am feeling fine! It is _you_ who is not feeling well." He hissed.

I groaned loudly and stretched out my arms. "Does it look like we're in the 1700's?"

He looked around for a second before sneering again. "That is not the point! One odd house-"

"Psh! What do you mean 'one odd house'? You've been outside! Also, I'm no doctor but you don't look 300 years old to me!"

He rested his hands on his waist and from the look on his face I could tell he was gritting his teeth.

"In all seriousness, if you're not feeling well I could take you back to the hospital." Or the mental hospital.

"No." He shook his head. "I'm fine."

I nodded and slid my hands into my pockets. "Well if you change your mind, just say so."

He turned and left the room, and I watched him until the bathroom door shut. I sat down on my love seat and sighed. Of all the people in the world, what were the chances that I would get saddled with a homeless loony man? Technically, Sara was the one who found him... shouldn't he be living with her? I found myself laughing at the thought of her living with him. She was already crazy enough alone, add a man completely off his rocker and that would be the icing on the cake.

I frowned and felt guilt pit in the bottom of my stomach and regretted thinking badly of Sara. She was a really sweet girl... just a little odd.

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When an hour managed to tick by, I finally went into the hall closet and pulled out some sheets and a blanket. I dropped them onto the couch along with an extra pillow then headed down the hall, stopping at the bathroom. I curled my hand into a fist and knocked lightly, clearing my throat.

"William? I left some sheets on the couch... you're welcome to stay if you'd like. Just until you find another place to go..." I listened carefully, hearing nothing. "Well goodnight then."

When there was still no answer, I turned and walked to my bedroom, stepping inside and locking the door. I had always been a little paranoid and having a stranger in my house didn't help at all. My computer was in the corner of the room, and once I was seated I brought up the internet. I wasn't sure what exactly I was looking for, but I was hoping to find a number or something I could use to reach his family. I typed his name into the search box and when the results showed up, I was surprised again.

Just about all the links were of William Tavington, Colonel of the British Green Dragoons. Just for the heck of it, I clicked one of them and read through the article, finding out that he was a smart man, with excellent battle strategy but known notoriously by his 'brutal' tactics. Supposedly he died on the battlefield at the Battle of Cowpens, though no body was discovered.

When I clicked on another of the many links, the article was similar, describing his notoriety for his brutality, earning him the name "The Butcher" among the colonies.

I was a little freaked out to know that William probably thought that he really was _William_, despite what history had to say about him. He seemed to really think he was in 1781, or at the very least he was very good at playing the part. Maybe he was a professional actor and I was on one of those hidden camera shows.

I could have laughed at the thought but I was distracted by the picture at the bottom of the article. A small portrait of a certain William Tavington, with the same chin, nose, lips, eyes and hair as another certain man hiding out in my bathroom. The resemblance was startling. They could have passed easily as twins.

I stared at the picture for several minutes, each second making it harder to believe. There was no way, absolutely _no way_ that the William in my bathroom was the same William that was in that portrait. No way. Nope, impossible. It was impossible wasn't it?

"Who the hell are you, William?"

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**AN: Okay, kind of a rough start, but again nothing is pre-planned. I had to write the second half in one sitting to finish it before I go on vacation lol, which was kinda stressful but it's done! Also, because I had to rush, there may be a lot of errors which I apologize in advance for. I'll be back on Sunday and hopefully by then there will be updates in the stories that I am currently addicted to -crosses fingers-. Haha, anyway, there you have it. R&R? I hope everyone has a good week!**


	4. Tell Me What It Does

**AN: Hello again :D My vacation was amazing, and I'm leaving for another one tomorrow morning. Luckily, this time I'll have computer access so I'll still be able to write. The chapters are taking longer and longer to put up but I'll try to get up a chapter each week. Thanks again for the reviews! I did try to limit my use of comma's, but I think I failed haha. Also, about **_**Kate and Leopold**_**, I haven't been able to see it yet but I would really like to. Thanks to everyone who commented and gave suggestions to help me!**

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I had no idea how long William was in the bathroom, but when I left my room to brush my teeth at 2 am he wasn't in there. The lights were off and I didn't have the balls to go see where he was, so I brushed my teeth and ran back to my room like a little girl dodging the boogie man. I tossed and turned for another hour before falling asleep, and it seemed I couldn't sleep for a straight twenty minutes at a time. Giving up at 7:30 I finally climbed out of bed and walked quietly to the door.

I pushed my ear against the wood and listened carefully, almost hoping that I heard something just to know where he was. I should have known by that time that nothing would be so easy, so I quit hoping for anything and silently turned the knob, holding my breath as the lock clicked back.

I stared down the empty hall for at least three minutes before I took another step forward and it took an eternity to reach the end. I nervously looked around the corner into the livingroom, finding that it was empty. After a few more minutes of searching, I discovered the remaining rooms were empty as well. A wave of relief washed over me. William was gone.

As I sank down onto the couch, I realized that the sheets I had set out were gone. He had taken my sheets? Of all the things in the house he disappeared with my sheets? I should have laughed... so I did. I supposed it was lucky that they were all he took, at least from what I could tell that far. After a few minutes of "wake up time," I stood and headed into the kitchen putting on the morning pot of coffee. Once I had it brewing, I opened the fridge and began the debate of choosing what to have for breakfast. No milk threw out cereal... dammit. Eggs it was.

I took out two before turning back to the counter and setting them carefully on top while I leaned down to grab out a skillet. Taking one in each hand, I prepared to crack them when something caught my attention from the corner of my eye. I turned and looked out the small window, dropping my jaw in sync with the two eggs. When they splattered I jumped back, cursing before I walked closer to the window, gazing out.

"What the hell..."

I went through the diningroom and grabbed my boots, shoving my feet in while attempting not to fall over. After wrestling with the door I skipped down the steps before jogging around the building.

In the backyard, there was a small sheet tent constructed over one of the larger tree branches. Worse than the tent was the man sitting several feet in front of it, crouching over a small campfire.

"William! What..." I jerked my hands around, spluttering. "What are you doing? Put that out!" I fell to my knees and began tearing at the grass, throwing it into the flames. "It's illegal to have a fire here!"

With a sigh he stood and walked away, leaving me to throw dirt and other random things into the flames in an attempt to put them out. A few moments later he returned, dumping a small bucket of water onto the fire extinguishing it.

"If I can't make a fire, how else am I supposed to keep warm at night?" He asked, placing his hands on his hips.

I pursed my lips in mock concentration. "I don't know... maybe you could stay in the house?" I gave a small laugh. "I said you could stay."

"I heard you. It's improper for a man to share a lady's house, especially a single lady such as yourself."

"How do you know I'm single?" I crossed my arms and sighed. "It's fine for you to stay inside. I insist actually, it's unhealthy for you to sleep on the ground."

"If you really insist-"

"I do. Now let's round up your..." I looked over to the tree and suppressed a smile, "tent and head inside."

I walked over and discovered that the sheet was secured with several knots that were actually quite difficult to undo. Once I had the tent down I began to fold the sheets up.

"Hey, where did you get that bucket?" I asked suspiciously as he picked up his pillow.

"Right over there." He pointed to the neighboring house on my left. "It had some sort of plant in it but I'm sure-"

Before he could even finish his sentence I had dropped everything and ran to the bucket. "That was Mrs. Rogers'!" I picked it up and sprinted to the next yard, finding the discarded plant and quickly yet gently shoving the clump of dirt and flowers back into it. I saw his feet step next to the bucket and I glared up at him. "Mrs. Rogers is obsessed with her prized flowers. She will _kill_ you if she finds out what you did. And believe me, I will let her." After a few more pats here and there I stood up and pushed the bucket back onto her patio. I let out a relieved breath and slumped back to my own yard. Besides the makeshift campfire burns, he hadn't done anymore damage.

I turned to him after picking up the sheets and shook my head. "You're going to give me a heart attack. Or a stroke or something else destructive." I headed back around the building to the front and trudged up the steps, turning back around to look at him once I had reached the door. Gazing down, I noticed for the first time that he was wearing a pair of black boots. "Where did you get those?"

"I found them-"

I held up my hand and closed my eyes. "Nevermind. I don't want to know." I jerked the door open and took a step inside, pulling out of my boots and dropping the sheets onto the table. Walking into the kitchen, I smiled at the smell of coffee. "Do you want a cup of coffee?" I called out to him, getting a yes in reply.

After cleaning up the egg mess on the floor, I filled two mugs and carried them into the livingroom. I carefully handed his to him before sitting back and holding mine close to my chest.

When about fifteen minutes passed, I looked up as he set his mug down onto the coffee table. I bit the inside of my cheek nervously, running my finger around the rim of my mug.

"William?" I finally managed to ask.

"Yes?"

"Do you want to take a shower?" I cleared my throat and put my mug down next to his. "I mean, I'm sure you need one..." I didn't want to be so rude as to say 'You kind of smell like sweat and dirt.'

"A shower?"

"Yeah, bathing would probably make you feel a little better. And," I started, standing up and smiling, "While you get clean I could go and get you some real clothes."

"Well-"

"Great! Here, let me show you the shower knob, it's pretty much a piece a crap so it can be tricky." I headed down the hall and I could hear him behind me. Once inside, I pulled back the curtain and waited for him to get next to me. "You have to move it to the right like this... but it actually gets colder the farther you go so I like to leave it about here..." I turned with a smile to find him staring at it oddly. "Reach your hand in and tell me how it feels."

He watched me for a moment before reaching out and holding his fingers under the spray of water. Pulling his hand back, he watched it for several more seconds before nodding.

"It's perfect..." He mumbled. "This is where you bathe?" He still sounded a bit amazed and I had to hold back a laugh. I settled for a grin.

"Yep, magical right?" I chuckled and stepped back, grabbing the doorknob. I noticed he was still staring so I laughed lightly. "Do they not have showers in England?" I shook my head and stepped into the hall. "You know where the towels are. There's a brand new loofa scrunchy thing under the sink and there's multi-gender shampoo and body wash in the shower already... if you don't mind smelling like Dove. Anyway I'm running to Walmart and I'll be back soon." I went to shut the door but he grabbed it.

"Wallart? What is that?"

"Walmart. It's just a store. See ya soon." I shut the door and leaned against it, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath. He confused me so much with the simplest things.

I walked down the hall and through the livingroom, stopping at the front door. I pulled my boots back on and grabbed my car keys from the wall hook, jerking the door open and sliding outside. Not much had changed since the last time I had been outside. In fact, nothing had changed.

I skipped down the steps again and crossed the street to my car, climbing in and shutting the door. The ride was short, less than ten minutes and the parking lot had plenty of up-close spaces available.

Once inside, I went straight for the men's clothing wondering what I should get him to wear. It was like a whole different world between those racks. The last time I had stood in that section was the sixth grade when I needed to buy a snow suit. I looked around and finally picked up a plain white tee, though once I spotted a shirt with the logo 'I have no idea what's going on' I was tempted to make a purchase for myself. For the pants, I decided on a pair of blue jeans, making a random guess at the size.

As I was guessing a size for his socks, I glanced over at the underwear, feeling my shoulders tense up. I reached out and grabbed a bag of socks, hugging it to my chest as I looked over once again at the underwear. Did he even wear underwear?

"Oh my god."

I realized with embarrassment that I had spoken aloud. I looked around, relieved when no one was there. I turned back to the man-panties and reached out, randomly grabbing a pack. Hopefully they would be the right size. If not, well he hadn't been wearing any from what I had seen so he would be fine. Before I left, I invested in some men's deodorant and a shaving razor, along with a toothbrush and some other small items.

I checked out and took my items back to my car. Once I was back home, I jogged back up the stairs and forced the door open. The apartment was silent, meaning he was out of the shower. I carried the bag down the hall and stopped at the bathroom door, reaching up and knocking lightly. When there was no answer I assumed that he had went into one of the other rooms.

"William, I'm gonna leave your clothes in the bathroom, kay?" I pushed open the door and immediately spotted a bare back. I gasped, covering my eyes and turning around.

"Excuse me, what are you doing!" He yelled at me.

"I'm not looking! I'm not looking, I promise." I held up the bag and turned around with my eyes closed. "I knocked, didn't you hear me?"

"No, I'm afraid not."

"Well I'm sorry. Anyway, I have your clothes here. I guessed on all the sizes so if something doesn't fit I could always take it back." I dropped it to the floor and turned back around, heading out and shutting the door behind me.

Quite a while went by and I passed the time by reading the _Da Vinci Code_. I breezed through another chapter and once again found myself completely caught up in it. I hadn't heard William come out, and I also hadn't heard him come up behind me. When he cleared his throat it caught me off guard and I dropped the book, nearly jumping out of the chair. Covering my heart, I turned around and sighed with an embarrassed laugh.

"Wow, you have to stop that-" I paused when I saw him, surprised by his appearance. He looked so... normal.

"Well?" He asked, raising an eyebrow and averting his gaze. He looked like he wanted approval so I smiled.

"Very nice, William. Very nice. I'm glad everything fits." I turned back to my book, shutting it and standing up. I looked over him again, smiling all the wider. "It's a little odd seeing you dressed in something so normal. You're just an average Joe now."

"Yes well..." He said, shifting on his feet.

"Well I have to go take a shower so why don't you go watch some tv or something?" I suggested before turning out of the room and heading down the hall. Once inside the bathroom, I took a quick shower, brushed my teeth, and did my hair. William hadn't left any mess at all and I was beginning to wonder if he was a real man at all. I wasn't going to complain though.

Remembering that I hadn't grabbed any clothes, I had to dart across the hall to my room and luckily he was occupied in the livingroom. I decided to wear a white knee-length skirt and a blue tee. Quick and easy dress up to match my almost everyday ponytail.

I stepped out of my room and walked down the hall, hearing nothing but silence. I guessed William wasn't one for tv. When I reached the livingroom, I found him kneeled in front of the television, staring at the black screen curiously.

"What are you doing?" I asked stepping up behind him.

"What is this for? It has glass on the front but I can't see inside... it's just black. But I can see myself. Is it a mirror of some kind?" He turned to look at me and instantly sneered. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

I realized that I was grinning and I cleared my throat, pulling on my most serious look. "No, it's not a mirror. Do you really have no idea what it is?"

He rolled his jaw before giving a rather large smile. "Oh yes, of course I'm just kidding. That would explain why I've been sitting here for nearly thirty minutes, merely staring at it." He turned back to the screen and mumbled something.

"Jeez, Mr. Sarcastic." I got down onto my knees beside him and leaned forward looking at the buttons. I put my finger to the power button and leaned back, looking at him. "This is where you turn it on." I showed him, pushing in the button. With a soft "click" the tv turned on, Law and Order appearing on the screen.

He instantly jumped back, surprised being an understatement.

"You okay-"

"What is that?" He whispered, watching in amazement.

I laughed and looked back to the screen, turning the volume up a little. "_This_ is Law and Order SVU."

He crawled toward the tv slowly, looking at it carefully before leaning to get a look at the sides. "How is it doing that? Moving and making sound and... How did those people get in there?" He pushed his hand to the glass and looked up close.

As he continued his search behind the televison, I burst out laughing earning myself an angry glare.

"What, may I ask, is so funny?" He snapped.

"Nothing... just..." I gasped for breath. "You just..." I felt my eyes water and my lungs began to burn.

"Yes, well I'm glad you find me so very amusing. My situation must be simply hysterical to you."

I wiped my eyes and calmed my laughter as best as I could, finally managing to only chuckle. "I'm sorry... I never imagined I'd have a grown man asking how the little people got inside my tv." I laughed for a few more moments before stopping and taking a deep breath. I smiled and bit the inside of my lip, trying to imagine what he must be feeling like. "Anyway, there's not really any people in there. Everything is recorded and broadcasted on a schedule. See." I changed the channel, MTV's morning music videos appearing. "This," I started and changing the channel again, "is Spongebob." I left the channel there and sat back, giving him time to watch for a few seconds.

"What are they?"

"Spongebob is a sponge, and Patrick is a starfish. See there, Spongebob lives in a pineapple." I looked down and laughed silently, biting my lip to keep from making any noise.

"He lives in a pineapple? How odd..." He turned his gaze to me and I straightened my face. "So tv isn't real? Those people aren't real?"

"No, the people are real. But they pretend to be someone else for the show. Kind of like... theater. Do you know what theater is?"

"Yes, of course."

"Like that. Except Spongebob. He's just a cartoon, sadly." I watched him look back to the screen, watching with interest. "Real people just make up shows for other people to watch. Do you understand a little better?"

He shrugged, reaching out and changing the channel several times. "Somewhat."

"Good, well I'll leave you here to mess around with it for a little while. Watch what you want and I'll just sit over here." I stood up and walked over to the couch, sitting down. I watched him mess with the channels and volume for ten minutes before he stopped on Spongebob, continuing to watch where he had left off.

Fifteen minutes later I was still on the couch, this time reading the _Da Vinci Code_ while William sat in front of the tv watching another episode of Spongebob. Occasionally I glanced up, watching his expression. At first it was calm curiosity but it changed to irritation. I smiled and lowered my book.

"So what do you think? Do you like it?"

He continued to stare ahead. "No, it's repulsive. What is the purpose? The adventures of a talking sponge and an obese starfish? I've never seen anything so... bluntly irritating. Just listen to that laugh-"

I grinned and picked up my book. "Well it's a children's show. Try something else." I started to read again but when I looked up a few minutes later, he was still watching Spongebob with a grimace.

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"William?" I asked, grabbing my keys from their hook on the wall.

"Yes?" He called back from the livingroom.

"I have to go out for a little while. Is there anything you need me to pick up for you?"

"No. But where are you going?" He asked, sauntering into the diningroom.

"My friend Sara, the girl you met yesterday, needs picked up from work. Will you be okay alone?" I looked over at him, pulling on my boots.

"I'm quite sure that I will be able to manage taking care of myself in your absence."

I smirked and looked back down, tying the lace before standing back up straight. "Good. Maybe you could watch more tv, hm?"

"I don't think so."

I chuckled and tugged the door open, stepping outside then shutting it behind me. Before I slumped down the steps, I leaned closer to the window, grinning when I heard tv come on.

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"Thanks for picking me up again. My car was supposed to be ready this morning but... well who knows?"

I smiled and changed the radio station. "No problem. Is it going to be ready for pick up later?"

"Yeah, thank goodness. I miss my car, a lot. Does that sound pathetic?" She asked, looking out the window.

"A little."

"So, tell me." She said, turning in her seat to look directly at me. "What happened with that guy?"

"Nothing much..." I mumbled, playing with the radio again.

"What does that mean?" She asked, grinning.

"You know...I said he could stay for dinner... then he stayed the night-"

"What! You let him _stay the night_!" She yelled excitedly and grabbed my arm, shaking it violently.

I yelled back when the car swerved and roughly shoved her away. "Sara! Are you crazy?! Shit, girl." I sighed and took a deep breath. "Excuse me. I didn't mean to say that."

She giggled and turned back around. "It's hard to get you to swear."

"You almost made me crash."

"You let a stranger stay the night."

"In the backyard."

She paused and raised an eyebrow. "The backyard?"

"Yes, the backyard. I offered him the couch and I found him in the backyard. In a nice little tent with a campfire and the whole shebang."

She snorted and I smiled, coming up to her house. "Home sweet home." She said, reaching down and grabbing her purse.

"Yep. See you later?"

"I could always come home with you and get to know William." She suggested.

"Please, I don't even know him."

She shrugged and leaned back, stretching her arms. "Well you suck with men."

I rolled my eyes and smirked. "Oh yes, and you are such an expert. Look, there's the door right beside you."

"Take me with you!" She said dramatically, throwing her arm over her forehead and grabbing my wrist.

I chuckled and leaned over her, opening her door and undoing her seatbelt. "Goodbye, Sara. I will call you tomorrow."

"Goodbye, joy kill." She grumbled, climbing out. "Have fun living with Mr. Hot." She said, shutting the door and starting towards her house very slowly. "Without me." She took another step. "While I'm here all alone." She emphasized with a loud sigh.

"Okay, have fun all alone." I called out, watching her shake her head and walk the rest of the way to her door. I waited until she was inside to drive away, unable to stop smiling.

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Back at my apartment, I didn't hear the tv on as I opened the door. Instead, I smelled smoke coming from the kitchen. I dashed through the diningroom and into the kitchen, stopping when I saw William. He was leaning against the stove, staring at the microwave which I discovered was smoking. I reached over and quickly unplugged it, dropping the cord when there was a little spark inside the outlet. I shrieked and turned to William, shoving my hands onto my hips.

"William! What hell have you been doing? Trying to burn my house down?"

He rolled his head and crossed his legs at the ankle. "You make everything so dramatic..." He mumbled. "No, I was not trying to burn your house down. I just wanted to see what that did."

"Just wanted to see what it did... let's see what you did." I opened the door and looked inside, smiling a bit. I reached inside and pulled out a twinky, fork, and water bottle. The twinky had exploded, the water bottle had deformed around the top, and I guessed it was the fork responsible for the smoke. Although burning plastic may have helped.

"William, you can't put metal or foil in a microwave. It sparks and smells and... I like my house not in ashes." I threw away the twinky mess and left the fork and the bottle on the counter by the sink.

"So what exactly is that for? Melting things?"

"No, you cook food in it. Big things cook in the oven," I said while pointing, "and smaller things can go in the microwave. But nothing metal or aluminum."

"I see."

"Good. Anything else?" I asked, walking over and opening the windows.

"No."

"Well if you change your mind-"

"I'll manage." He grumbled, walking back into the livingroom.

I stayed a few minutes longer to fan out the room before joining him. He had returned to the couch, though by this time he had already figured out the remote to the tv. He was now watching the History Channel, looking quite interested in the guillotine documentary.

I tried to watch it with him but every time someone was killed, I had to look away and cringe. I knew it was fake but it made me sick to watch. William didn't even blink and whether it was because he was male or simply wasn't affected I couldn't tell.

So I left the television to William and resumed reading my book.

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**AN: Complete! I guess I should add this though, Disclaimer: I do not own Spongebob, Patrick, the Patriot, Law and Order, MTV, The History Channel, twinkies, or pineapples.**


	5. Can't Live with Him

**AN: Wow. It has been WAY too long. I apologize, I apologize, I apologize. I mentioned it on my profile, but I'm going to put it here too. I have not abandoned this story, I just took a reallllly long break. Work, school, etc... I know, no excuse for procrastinating, but I did write! :] After this, unfortunately, the chapters will become significantly shorter to allow more frequent posts. I'm sorry, but I'll try to make up for it. So here it is, the long-time-waiting 5****th**** chapter. Thank you sooo much for your patience and encouragement!**

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I went to bed halfway through William's guillotine documentary, and fell asleep the instant my head hit the pillow. I dreamt of guillotines, dancing sponges, and what must have been a hundred different ways that William could destroy the house. Like most nights tend to do, though, it passed soon enough and brought a bright, unusually cold morning.

"In a dream you appear, for awhile you were here. So I keep sleeping, just to keep you with me. I draw a map, connect the dots, with all the memories that I got. What I'm missing, I'll keep reliving..."

I rolled onto my back and threw my arm out to the side, blindly feeling around for the snooze button. Ten o'clock already? I wasn't ready to wake up yet. I flicked my wrist, waiting to feel anything but air as a loud yawn made my eyes water. My fingers smacked into something unfamiliar.

"Ow!"

"Ah!" I jerked away, immediately wide-awake and pulled my sheets to my chest.

"William! Why are you in my room?" I asked, closing my eyes and trying not to strike him in my anger.

"I've been awake for hours and I've had nothing to do-" he complained, and I had to refrain from asking if Spongebob was on, "-and then I heard... whatever this is supposed to be, out of nowhere. I was just a bit curious is all."

I leaned over and turned off the radio, putting an end to the singing. I hated Hannah Montana. Or was that Miley Cyrus? Who could really tell the difference?

Suddenly curious myself, I turned back and glared at him. "I locked my door last night, William."

He looked at me with a blank expression and didn't answer.

I sighed. "Well I'd appreciate it if you could stay out of my room from now on." I rolled back over as he stood, and stretched my legs out until I felt a satisfying tug. Releasing a heavy sigh, I crawled out of bed and followed William from the room.

As soon as I stepped foot out into the hall I jerked my head up, sniffing. Did I smell pancakes? I slowly made my way to the kitchen, the smell growing stronger with each step. I stopped in the doorway as a large smile spread over my lips.

"Will-"

"I made breakfast if you're hungry." He interrupted, sliding some fresh pancakes onto a plate and pushing it along the counter.

"How much do you think I eat?" I whispered in awe as I looked around at what must have been 200 pancakes.  
"I wasn't sure." He answered stoically, as if he had done nothing out of the ordinary.

I took a step into the kitchen, seeing for the first time the several batter packages dropped onto the floor. There went breakfast for the next six months.

"You know how to cook pancakes?" I immediately felt like a dumbass. Everyone knew how to make pancakes; besides, it's not like I really expected him to be from the 1700's did I? Then again, I explained the TV to him…

"I'm not illiterate, I can read instructions." He turned and glanced at me over his shoulder before flicking off the heat. "Believe it or not there was actual something similar in my time..." He mumbled quietly.

"What about the stove?" I asked as he grabbed a paper towel and wiped his hands.

"I watched as you cooked. It wasn't difficult." He threw the towel away and I crossed my arms, dissatisfied.

"I thought you said you've been awake for hours and had nothing to do?"

He snickered and dropped the skillet into the sink. "Why am I under interrogation?"

I rolled my eyes and snatched a huge pile of pancakes, turning on my heel and storming into the dining room. I sat down and stared at the food, realizing I needed a fork and some syrup. For some reason I was angry at William and I didn't want to go back into the kitchen and see him; instead, I wanted to pout. I grabbed the top pancake and tore it apart piece by piece, eating it as I counted how many cakes were on my plate. There were eight. I saw him step into my peripheral vision, setting a fork, knife, and the syrup down beside my plate.

"Thanks." I mumbled reaching for the fork.

He responded by roughly pulling the chair out across from me, causing the legs to screech loudly against the old wood floor. He sat behind his own large pile of pancakes, never looking up at me.

I stared at him for several minutes before taking another bite of breakfast, wondering why I was angry at him at all. Perhaps I was still upset that he was lying to me; that he could stay at my home with only the excuse that he was from another time and had nowhere to go. Perhaps I was hoping he would tell me what was really going on. Perhaps I was just hungry.

I glanced back up at him and grinned lightly, cutting my food into small triangles.

"So tell me. Why did you really make so many pancakes?"

He kept his eyes down and finished chewing before answering. "Old habit I suppose."

I frowned at the unusual tone.

"Why does it have to be an old habit? I'm sure there's somewhere that would love to have 400 pancakes each morning."

For a moment I thought he would smile. Instead he smirked.

"Are you always so sarcastic?"

I shrugged and smiled again. "Are you really British or do you just think the cute little accent is fun?"

He grinned. "You think my accent is cute?"  
I realized what I had said and felt my eyes go wide.

"I- no! You're so vain that you just assumed that I would… mean… what I said that way."

He shook his head and sighed in amusement. "Don't choke yourself, I wasn't being serious."

I sneered and stood up, picking up my plate of soggy, uneaten pancakes and marched into the kitchen. I cleaned my plate off and took out a large cookie container, starting to fit in as many pancakes as I could. He probably hadn't been joking when he said that he had been awake for hours.

When he stepped into the kitchen several minutes later, I had most of the breakfast cakes in some sort of container, ready to go.

"You do realize, William, that you probably cooked more pancakes this morning than I have eaten throughout my entire life?"

"I suppose I'd have to believe you since I have no proof to show otherwise." He set his plate in the sink on top of mine and turned to watch me pack up what was left of the food. "What are you going to do with them?"

"I'm going to go shove them in Sara's trunk. Maybe she can paint a picture of them or something." I turned and groaned at the look on his face. "I'm kidding! Gosh. She has like… nine brothers and sisters. They'd have a better chance of eating them all than I would."

I grabbed as many cases as I could carry and lugged them out to my car, armful by armful. I drove the whopping distance to her house and handed them over, somehow managing to escape without an explanation.

I dreaded the return back home knowing fully well that it would take forever to clean up the breakfast mess. There had been powder and patches of hard batter everywhere. But it was unavoidable; I had to return home at some point. So I returned to my apartment and dragged myself up the stairs, practically kicking in the door when I reached the top.

As I stepped into the house, I saw that William had already wiped down the table. It was a small polite measure but what really blew me away was when I looked into the kitchen. It was practically shining. I looked over in awe at William, who was washing the dishes.

"How… I was gone maybe ten minutes top. How did you get the everything cleaned up?"

"Old habits." He answered in a bored tone that I was quickly getting used to.

"Well thank you. Want me to help you with the dishes?" I felt that I should offer some assistance, I did eat some of the pancakes.

"No, I work better alone. If you don't mind, though, I would like some tea. I couldn't find a kettle."

I looked around the small kitchen almost as if x-raying the cabinets. "I don't think I have a kettle…" I was pretty sure that I didn't. To improvise, I grabbed the coffee pot and walked to the sink, gently pushing William out of the way to rinse and then fill it.

I returned to the coffee maker and dumped the water in, then slid the pot back into its slot. I easily found the tea bags and I dropped a few of them into the compartment for the coffee grinds. I flicked the machine on and hoped for the best.

I helped to dry the dishes despite William's protests, and once we were finished, we were left to stand in an awkward silence. At least it was awkward on my part, I doubted he could have cared less whether or not I was standing there.

"The tea is done." I finally said, pulling a coffee mug from the cupboard and handing it to him.

I draped my dish towel over the stove handle as he filled his cup and then turned to leave the room. There was a sudden crash of shattering glass and I quickly spun around to find pieces of coffee cup scattered across the floor. When reality caught up with my brain, I looked up just in time to see William push himself away from the counter and kneel down.

"Will-" I started.

"I'm sorry." He interrupted, picking up the small shards.

"No, stop..." I quickly got down and pushed his hands away, collecting the pieces myself. "Are you okay?"

"I'm _fine_." He snapped angrily, grabbing the dish towel and wiping up the spilt tea. "Just an accident is all..." He dropped his tone and avoided my gaze. I was too startled to speak, and before I could recover, he dropped the towel onto the counter and walked from the room. I stared after him for several seconds before throwing away the glass slivers in my hand.

Shortly after, I followed him into the livingroom with a fresh cup of tea for him, but he wasn't there. I stepped to the side a few feet and peered down the hall at the closed bathroom door. When he didn't come out for several minutes, I figured he wanted alone time so I put the mug in front of the door and knocked lightly.

"William, I left some tea out here if you want it... Or not." I leaned closer to the door and listened. Nothing. "Okay then..." I turned around and headed in the other direction.

He didn't emerge for hours, and when he finally did, he looked like his arrogant old self. I watched him silently from my seat on the couch as he crossed the room and sat down.

"William?" I asked softly, wondering if he was in his snippy mood.

"Yes?" He answered in his usual, disinterested tone.

"I hate to bring this up, but... obviously we need to find you a place to go." I really hated discussing it, but his last snap at me had my nerves on edge. I bit the inside of my cheek and flinched back when he turned to face me.

"Of course." He was much calmer than I had anticipated and I felt guilty for expecting an outburst.

"Well... I really have no idea where to send you. Are you positive that you have no relatives to stay with?"

"I am quite certain."

I looked away and tapped my knees lightly. "And you have no money saved away?"

"I've no money to my name."

"Well-"

"Don't bother yourself any longer. I'm certain I can manage for myself now. Perhaps, though, I could have some food to take with me?"

I had tried my hardest not to look at him, but I found myself drawn back to his eyes. His face was nearly emotionless, and I wondered what was really running through his mind.

"Of course, and if there's anything else-" I was going to offer him money but he held up his hand and stopped me.

"I want nothing else. You've done more than enough for me. I'll leave immediately." He stood and I jumped up, blocking the door.

"You don't have to leave now! At least wait for dinner..." I gazed up at the clock and frowned at the numbers that read 3:49. He really had been in the bathroom a long time... I turned back to him and gave the best smile I could.

"Stay for dinner?" He seemed to think it over and finally nodded. "It would be my pleasure."

I sighed and relaxed, glad that he wouldn't be leaving quite as soon. It was odd, I wasn't sure what I was feeling. "Great."

The time passed slowly, but at the same time quickly. We mostly sat in silence, drinking the cold tea and avoiding each other's gaze... at least I was. I had no idea what he was doing. When the silence got too painful, I flicked on the tv to at least add some background noise. I stared at the screen with fake interest, though I really had no idea what was playing. William seemed to enjoy himself enough, sneering and occasionally tsk'ing the characters.

I started dinner at five o'clock, afraid to stay in the livingroom any longer. It was torturous sitting near him, wondering where he was going to go. Would he find someone else to stay with? Would he get some cash and rent a room somewhere? Or would he end up in the park with nothing but the clothes on his back and the freezing wind-

I yelped as a boiling drop of water splashed onto my knuckle. I brought my finger up to my face and examined the red blotch of skin, feeling the burn but not really minding it. When I looked back down, the noodles had practically melded into one lump and I had to force them apart. Spaghetti had always been my favorite meal but tonight I had no appetite. I drained the water and stirred the meatless sauce, trying to think of something else to add and draw out the inevitable. But before I would have liked, I was setting out the plates and silverware.

When we were both seated, I spooned some noodles onto my plate and began to pick at them while William stared at his. I had never seen time go as slowly as it did then. But, sure enough, dinner ended and I was glad that William had been able to eat.

I silently cleaned up the dinner mess as William wrapped some food in tin foil and placed it in a Walmart bag. I couldn't bring myself to look at him; I was sure if I did, the look on his face would kill me. When the dishes were washed, I forced myself to glance back at him as I re-dried a cup for the fourth time.

"Need anything else?" I was surprised that he looked so composed; if I were homeless I would probably be freaking out to go back on the streets.

"No." He tied the bag off and turned around, leaning against the counter. "I'll go now."

He passed me and walked through the diningroom, stopping by the door to slip into his boots. Nervousness mixed with guilt filled my stomach like a bag of bricks and I wondered if it would be more appropriate to watch him or walk away. Was I supposed to turn on the light or say, "Bye, and thanks for the stay?" Everything felt too awkward to even think of, so I chose to stand there and eat the inside of my lip. I felt a sharp pain in the back of my head and winced, realizing that I had been twisting my hair too hard. I jerked straight when he stood and opened the door.

"Uh-" I started to speak, but stopped when I had no idea what to say.

He looked at me one last time and bowed his head slightly before stepping outside and shutting the door behind him. I stared at the knob for thirty seconds before groaning loudly and stomping into the kitchen. I picked up the coffee pot with a jerk and dumped the tea into the sink. Life sucked, that was the only way I could describe how I felt. What was that saying? _Life sucks and then you die._ Yep, that was it.

By the time I had a new pot of tea brewing, I was a nervous wreck. My hands were shaking and the back of my lip was bleeding. I looked out the window into the dark yard and tapped my foot impatiently against the tile floor. There was a sudden stab and I gasped, lifting my foot and doing a quick search. Sure enough, I pulled a small sliver of glass from my heel and dropped it into the garbage. The small sore stung even more after the glass was gone. I frowned and leaned back against the counter, letting the guilt take over.

________________________________________________________________________________

It was impossible to sleep that night. I would have bet anything that it was almost morning, but when I looked at my alarm clock, only three and a half hours had passed. At the rate the night was going, I would be forty-five when the sun came up. My sheets and comforter were on the floor, and my pillows were stuck between the bed and the wall. I was restless and miserable, but the worst part was I knew I had made myself that way.

"One... two... three..." I counted the invisible sheep as they jumped across my ceiling, and soon enough, the sheep had transformed into mini-Williams. I grimaced and pushed my fingers to my eyelids, pouting.

A few more hours passed and I grew more irritable by the minute. When midnight rolled around, I lost any patience I had left and jumped up, jerking on the nearest pair of pants, nearly killing myself in the process. Less than three minutes later, I was behind the wheel of my car and coasting down the street.

It had seemed like a good idea at the time, but my search for William was sure to come up empty-handed. How was I supposed to know where he had gone? For all I knew, he was lying in his own bed, fast asleep without a care in the world... But a bigger part of me wanted to believe that he wasn't a mentally disturbed man who liked to live with strangers and spout stories about previous centuries...

I checked the two local parks, the shelter, and all the hotels. I found nothing. I was practically seething with anger as I made my way back home. How could he play me like he had? How could he feel no remorse after making me believe he was really a homeless, helpless man who needed my help and-

I stomped on the brake halfway across the bridge and looked across the field at the black figure that lie still in the grass. I stared out the window for longer than necessary, my mind blissfully empty. A small sigh escaped my lips and without really thinking, I cut the engine and climbed out, making my way toward the shape. Time seemed to stand still, but that may have been because I was too uncoordinated to make my way quickly across the tangled field. When I was close enough to hear a light humming, it abruptly stopped and the figure turned toward me.

"Well, now. Fancy seeing you here." I never thought I'd be so relieved to hear that British accent. His mouth curved into a light smirk and his eyes shined in the moonlight.

"Fancy that." I breathed, all my muscles going slack with relief. I dropped down beside him Indian-style and laced my fingers in my lap, staring out blankly across the lake. I was overwhelmed with my emotions as a warmth spread through my veins and all anxiety disappeared.

I shifted and examined his posture, spread out flat on his back with his ankles crossed and hands under his head, and frowned. It was freezing, and that was putting it lightly. It was far too cold a night to lie in the damp grass in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. He must have remembered my warning about starting fires.

"Perhaps you could tell me why you're out here in the middle of the ni-"

"Aren't you cold?" I interrupted, absentmindedly rubbing my own hands together and burrowing my chin inside my sweater.

He seemed to ponder my question for a second before answering in his usual, disinterested tone. "Nothing I can't handle." Even as he spoke I could see a faint trace of goose bumps that were present on his pale skin. I frowned at the sight; he must already be catching a cold...

I scrunched my nose and sighed, finally allowing a small smile. "Of course." I stood and brushed away as much of the dampness in my pants as I could before extending my hand. "Come on."

He raised a thin brow and lifted onto his elbows. "Excuse me?"

"I'm tired of sitting out here. You may be able to handle the cold, but I can't." I jerked my hand for emphasis. "Hurry."

He seemed at a loss for words so he sat up and gazed at my hand. "I don't understand..."

I groaned and rolled my eyes. "William! I'm _freezing_. Can we please go home where it's warm? Please?"

A look of unconcealed surprise flashed across his features so briefly, that I wondered if it was a trick of the moonlight. He grinned up at me and stood, without my help, before brushing himself off and grabbing his bag. "Is this an extended invitation?"

I pushed a finger to my chin in mock thought before smiling. "More like a permanent invitation. If you can stay out of my room, then you can stay as long as you need to." My mother would roll over in her grave if she knew what I was offering to a stranger. Maybe she already did.

"You're an odd one."

"I've heard." I smiled momentarily and then frowned as a shiver shot up my spine. I pursed my lips and linked my arm through his, dragging him towards my car. We weren't far from home, maybe half a mile, and I wondered why he hadn't gone somewhere warmer.

As we tromped through the high grass, I realized with surprise just how cold he was. Up close the goose bumps were clearly visible and I could easily feel the slight shaking in his arm. I wondered again how he kept such a calm composure.

When we reached the top of the hill, I raised an eyebrow as a police cruiser pulled away. I slowly released William's arm and jogged toward the car, dropping my jaw when I saw the ticket that was carefully placed beneath my windshield wiper. I snatched it with a sneer and grunted, thrusting it into my pocket as I jerked toward William. With an irritated wave of my arm, I signaled for him to hurry up.

Once we were both inside the car, I jammed the keys into the ignition with shaky fingers and turned them, listening with a wide smile as the engine roared to life and heat instantly shot through the vents. I leaned over the opening nearest to me and cupped my hands around it, moaning as sensation began to come back to my fingertips.

When thought returned to me, I turned with a smile to William, but faltered when I saw his face. I imagined that was look someone got when they were at the top of the first hill on a roller coaster, looking over. He looked nervous, and his knuckles were white with the force that he dug his nails into his palm.

"Hey William... you okay?"

He instantly jerked to me and sneered half-heartedly. "Peachy." He spoke softly and I noticed his shoulders relax, though I still sensed his unease.

I gave a small smile and nodded, deciding not to push him. As I shifted into drive, I heard him give a small grunt of pleasure and watched out of my peripheral vision as he rubbed his hands together in an attempt to warm them.

When we arrived home, I parked and reluctantly cut the engine, instantly missing the rush of heat. I removed the keys and turned to step out when a sudden grip on my arm stopped me. I turned, curious, and looked at a hesitant William. "Yeah?"

"May I ask why you changed your mind?" His tone was measured, but I detected a trace of curiosity behind the words.

I stared at him for a long second, wondering why I had changed my mind. I didn't have an answer for him. I shrugged and gave a pathetic grin. "I figured I better know where you are when my neighbor comes looking for his boots."

His lips twitched and a small cough sounded in his throat as he released me. I climbed out of the car and waited for him before crossing the empty street and scaling the mounting of concrete steps.

He took a warm shower as I made his bed on the couch. I had never felt so warm as I did as I tucked the corners of the sheet into the cushions. My offer played over and over in my mind. What had I done? Who knew how long he would stay?

Who really cared? I realized with stark realization that I didn't. I had known him for what, five days? I sighed and smiled, spreading out the blanket. It was crazy, and it was dumb, but I wanted him to stay for a while... whoever he really was.

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I opened my eyes carefully, blinking back the bright light that filtered in through the thin curtains. I stretched out my arms and legs happily, reluctant to get out of bed and see what William was up to this morning. The possibilities were endless, he had yet to discover the washing machine. When I pulled myself to the edge of the bed and dropped my legs over, my eyes widened as I glanced at the clock. It was almost two in the afternoon! I jumped up and crossed the room, unlocking the door and stepping into the hall. I paused when I noticed how quiet and still everything was. There was no tv, no odd smells... I padded down the hall, curling my toes against the cool wood and stopped mid-yawn when I reached the livingroom.

William was still asleep on the couch, the blankets bunched around his chin. I smiled and walked over to wake Mr. Sleeping Beauty, then grabbed the sheets and pulled them back. I froze and unconsciously took a step back, staring at the still form. He was as white as a ghost and there was a thin film of sweat covering his face. I leaned forward and gently shook his shoulder.

"William?" I watched for a moment before shaking him more roughly. "William? William, wake up." My heart began to beat erratically when there was no movement. His lips were pasty and dry, and almost as white as his skin. It would have been impossible to guess that he had a rather dark tan.

I licked my own suddenly-chapped lips and got down on my knees, pressing my fingers to his jugular vein. There was a pulse, but it was as weak as it had been the first time I'd met him.

"William!" I shouted this time, shaking him more viciously than I should have, but earned a small response.

His eyes opened slowly, and he looked at me, seeming confused as he began to mumble. "Hmmeh... mmm..." His eyes were cloudy and disoriented as I held up my finger.

"William, follow my finger." I instructed him softly then moved it back and forth, frowning when he just stared at me. His eyes squeezed shut and he grunted, and I noticed for the first time that his hands were clutching at his chest through the blanket. He went limp and I shook him gently, trying to keep him awake. "William! Open your eyes!"

He didn't answer, so I pushed his hands from his chest and pulled the sheets to his waist. There was a deep red stain across his shirt, and when I instinctively pushed his shirt up to reveal the cause, I gasped, horrified. Beneath a sad excuse of a bandage, the stab wound was a sickly mix of red and white, inflamed, and was surrounded by a rash. It was infected, severely so. Why had he kept it from me? There was no doubt he must have been in pain for quite some time. That's why he stayed in the bathroom so much... He was trying to keep the wound healthy...

As it slowly seeped a mix of blood and pus, I stared in silent horror for several seconds until my instincts took over. I jumped up and darted to the bathroom, pulling my first aid box from the top shelf of the closet and then retrieved the cordless before returning to William. I clicked open the box and unwrapped several sheets of sterile gauze pads, pressing them to his chest as I dialed the phone. There was no way I could get him across the street myself... He was shivering, despite the intense heat radiating off his skin and I felt myself shiver in response.

When someone came on the other line, I heard panic crack through my voice. "I need an ambulance!"

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**AN: Well, another chapter down. I'm already working on another (and shorter) one, and I plan on having it up soon. There wasn't really any humor in this chapter so I promise to weave some into the next one :D R&R? Thanks for reading and I'll see you then!!! P.S. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!!!!!!!!**


	6. Mean Gets Things Done

**AN: Hello again! I want to take a moment to thank everyone who read the last chapter and let me know they were still interested in the story!! It really means a lot that they didn't forget, so thank you all!!!! On another note, MERRY BELATED CHRISTMAS and a Happy New Year!! I hope everyone had an enjoyable holiday and is ready to tackle a new and exciting year. ;D Anyway, here it is, Chapter 6, and I hope you enjoy it!! [P.s. I own nothing but the plot. -sigh-]**

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I tapped absent-mindedly on the lid of my hot chocolate as the chaos around me morphed into a blur of images and a buzz of sound. I looked around at the faces, distorted in pain, and if they caught my attention I would search for the cause. So far I had seen four fractures, a mild burn, some broken knuckles, a dog bite, a human bite, and from the man standing tensely with a bright blush, what I suspected to be a foreign object in the anus. Ah, the wonders of mankind. I knew I shouldn't be sitting in the Emergency Room, but the actual waiting room was down the hall and I was comfortable where I was. Besides, the drama in that room beat any tv show.

I took another slow sip of my drink and sighed as a baby shrieked somewhere behind me. It was inevitable, I just couldn't stay there all day. Standing, I slipped my purse over my shoulder and took one step towards the door. I didn't get far before a sudden force hit me in the back and hot chocolate splashed across my shirt. I opened my mouth to gasp but closed it as the surprise wore off. As I turned around, I thanked God that the drink was lukewarm, complements of the vending machine. My eyes went wide when I looked upon the assailant. A Happy Bunny t-shirt greeted me, this time propositioning me to kiss its as-

"Gabby, right?" I forced a smile and flicked the excess liquid from my fingers.

"I remember you, lady." The young girl flashed me a smile and then looked at me like I was an idiot. "Did you know your shirt is wet?"

I looked down and took a deep breath. "Yeah, I was actually just heading to the bathroom." I looked back at her and raised a curious eyebrow. "Why are you here again?"

"My mommy gets my-pains. Like, the headache kind. So we come here lots!" She waved her hands excitedly and I looked across the room at a woman sitting in the darkest corner, mumbling to herself.

"Oh, migraines..." That poor woman. "Well I hope she feels better."

"She will! Imma go over and sing and dance and make her feel better!" After demonstrating her best spirit fingers, Gabby darted over.

I left the room quickly as a high pitched voice began to sing "The Itsy Bitsy Spider".

The bathroom was frighteningly quiet in comparison to the ER, and for that, I was thankful. I ran some water and tried to clean myself up, but the effort was futile so I settled for a stain and dried it under the hand-dryer. As I left the bathroom and wandered the halls, I reminded myself that I hated hospitals. They were full of sick, dripping, coughing, sneezing, dying patients... and bad decorations. I would have had a stroke if I'd found a real plant.

When my path brought me to the waiting room, I stepped in and sat in the nearest chair. It was hard to be patient when all I wanted to do was run away screaming. As I flipped through Sports Illustrated, I thought over the day. It had only been two hours ago that I woken up, and now I was here...

I looked up as a white coat appeared over the top of the magazine.

"Miss Amy Charles?" A familiar, middle-aged man peered down at me.

"Yes?" The tone of his voice wasn't comforting and I shifted nervously in my seat. "Is William going to be okay?"

"Well, only time will tell but-" the doctor dropped his hands into his pockets and nodded. "He should be fine. I pulled the file of a Mr. John Doe," the physician gave me a reprimanding look, "and it seems that this man was here a little under a week ago with a stab wound. Is that correct?"

I nodded silently.

"Well, he left AMA and because he didn't receive proper treatment the bacteria came back full force and, I'm going to be honest, spread an infection like wildfire. He could have very easily died. Why didn't he return when his symptoms appeared?"

I gaped at the man like a fish before clearing my throat. "I didn't know he was sick... He never told me." I realized that I felt a bit betrayed by the fact. "If I had known I would have brought him myself."

The doctor nodded and gave a small smile. "He's gotten lucky twice now. I would advise you to tell him not to push his luck anymore."

I smiled back. "I promise to tell him."

"Good. Right now we have him in a drug-induced sleep so he won't be conscious for several hours, preferably tomorrow sometime so I would suggest going home and waiting it out."

I knew the day would still go slowly but I didn't want to stay at the hospital if I could help it.

"Okay. I'll be able to see him tomorrow?"

"Yes, if all goes as planned." He started to turn but stopped, and flashed me a small grin. "There is of course, a small matter of paperwork."

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I was going to kill him. If the infection didn't off him I would do it myself.

"Damn you, William!" I cursed irritably, climbing into my car twenty minutes later and shutting the door with a violent jerk.

It had taken twenty minutes to fill out paperwork for him. I had to leave most of it blank, obviously because I knew nothing about him, but it had been a dreadful, agonizing process. Name, date, age, gender, social security, allergies, contact number... positively horrifying. Weaker beings would have cried. Luckily for me, it was a free hospital run by donations, so I didn't have to worry about payment. Then again, William probably could have paid the debt by working the cafeteria; he seemed more than capable of cooking and cleaning. I felt guilty for grinning.

Once at home, everything seemed surreal. I was really alone, this time not by choice. As I passed by the couch, I took a moment to stare at the stained sheets before ripping them off and carrying them to the closet where I kept my washer machine. Hopefully it wouldn't be too late to get the crimson out of the soft fabric. When the sheets were tumbling around inside the dryer, I was sitting back at my computer, scanning through web pages about a certain Colonel William Tavington. I was amazed at the resemblance; despite the quality of the portraits with their paint aged by time, the similarity was shocking. As were the articles around the pictures. There was no way that the paragraphs were accurate; they told of a ruthless killer famous for his cold shoulder towards humanity. The William I knew was anything but friendly, but he wasn't exactly hostile either. He hadn't killed me in my sleep, he had made me freaking breakfast.

I groaned and turned away from the screen, frustrated for the millionth time since that man had shown up. I wanted so desperately to know who he was... but I just couldn't believe in something so supernatural... I didn't think so anyway.

I passed the time by cleaning, even though the house was already practically shining. I decided to vacuum under the couches, so I lugged the vacuum over and kneeled down, flipping the switch. As I stuck the hose under the sofa, I heard a few things get sucked in but turned off the vacuum when there was a sudden whistling sound. I looked down the rubber hose and frowned when I saw something gray. Upon removing it, I discovered it was a ball of duct tape. To make sure there wasn't anymore, I peaked under the couch and dropped my jaw.

"What the..." I reached under and pulled out several small items. There was the roll of duct tape, my Ipod, the TV remote, a lighter, a few CDs, a can of dust remover, a pack of gum, and my stereo speaker- I jerked around and saw that, sure enough, one of the speakers was missing. I looked at the pile in front of me and rolled my eyes, feeling an unexpected giggle. The giggle turned to a laugh and the next instant I was laughing to tears. It would appear that William had kept a little toy box under his bed. Not that anything should have surprised me at that point.

I didn't visit William the next day because his doctor informed me his meds would keep him asleep another day. When I went on the third day, it didn't seem that he would wake then either. Nevertheless, I sat in his room and did a few Sudoku puzzles. It sure beat sitting at home. I was beginning to wish I had a job-

I looked up as something shifted in my peripheral vision and smiled when William opened his eyes.

"Morning. Well, afternoon. How do you feel?" I waited as he looked around the room with a fuzzy expression before turning to me.

"What..." He grumbled and looked down at himself. Suddenly alert, he jerked up and began to thrash. "What are these! Get them out!" He frantically pulled at the IVs and the monitor patches and tugged them out.

I jumped up and grabbed his arms, attempting to stop him as his arms began to bleed. "William stop! You're going to hurt yourself!"

He shoved me roughly and yanked off the remainder of the cords. His heart monitor began to buzz and he jumped out of the bed, stumbling in his haste. "Why am I here!" He yelled at me in a cracked voice and made his way to the door as a nurse appeared outside.

"What's going on?" A female voice asked, as her bright eyes surveyed the crazy man.

"He's panicked." I said quietly as William's eyes darted between us.

"I'm not panicked!" He snapped. "I'm furious! I told you not to bring me back here, ever!" He charged between us, slapping away our hands.

"Sir! You can't leave like this!" The nurse called after him, running to her station when he kept going.

My jaw was on the floor as I watched William disappear around the corner. I closed my mouth and jogged after him, keeping a safe distance so he didn't shove me again.

"William, come back." I pleaded but he ignored me and headed for the EXIT sign in the middle of the long hall. "You're going to tear open your stitches again!" He paused momentarily to look back at me and sneer so angrily that I flinched.

"I can manage, thank you." He hissed. I opened my mouth to protest but stopped when two men appeared from the side hall and briskly made their way to him. Before he saw what was happening, they had him restrained in a firm hold. He struggled and yelled angrily for only a few seconds before going quiet and limp. I gaped when I realized they had sedated him. I simply stared as they carried him back to his room and when they were out of sight, I released the breath I had been holding. Never a boring time around William.

When things had settled down, I asked the nurse to get my bag from his room, afraid to go in and see him. I knew I was probably the last person he wanted to see, so I decided to head home for the night.

I debated whether or not to go back the next day, incase the situation should replay itself, but in the end I knew I wouldn't be able to keep myself at home. Before I went though, I assembled a gift-basket of sorts as a kind of white flag. Hopefully he would take my gift and forgive me... for whatever I had done wrong.

I hugged the basket to my chest as I stood outside the cold white door and took a practice breath. In... out. There. I knocked lightly, not really expecting a response.

"Go away." A pathetic voice moaned from the other side. I winced and turned the cold metal handle, peeking inside. As soon as he saw it was me, he sneered and turned back to the window. "I said go away. Have you gone deaf suddenly?"

I shrugged and stepped inside, quietly shutting the door. "I come bearing gifts if that helps to sway you."

He peeked over at me and raised an eyebrow. "Gifts?"

"Yeah, I figured I could apologize by making you feel a little more at home. So I brought some things." I felt a ray of hope when he didn't yell at me.

"How thoughtful." His sarcasm stung like acid but I managed to sit in the small chair beside his bed.

"I try." I mumbled. I looked down and noticed for the first time that his hands were bound to the bed rails. I frowned and raised my gaze. "Oh William-"

"Why is it that every time you say my name I want to cringe?" He interrupted harshly.

I glared and jumped up angrily. "Why are you such an ass?"

"Why are you surprised?" He stared at me like I had missed a joke.

"Why shouldn't I be?" I slumped back down. "Most people appreciate concern from their friends."

"Friends..." He murmured. He looked at the ceiling and finally sighed irritably. "Fine. Drown me with your concern."

I watched him quietly until he turned to face me. "What now?" He moaned.

I sighed. "Why do you hate it here so much?"

He grimaced and jerked his arms angrily, earning a clink of the restraints. "I'm hard-pressed to find why that's any of your damn business."

"They only restrained you because-" I started but he rolled his eyes.

"I know. Apparently I'm a danger to myself. Well I'm not." He smirked. "I'll show them dangerous-"

"William!"

"Oh, would you stop that? You've called me by my first name more times in the past few days than anyone else I've known for years." He looked genuinely tortured.

"Well, what am I supposed to call you?"

There was a small twitch in his lip and he suddenly spoke very softly, as if to a child. "You may call me "Tavington"."

I raised an eyebrow and opened my mouth to object. "But-"

"But nothing. Just try it. Humor me for just one moment."

"Okay... _Tavington_." It felt weird on my tongue and I didn't like it.

He, on the other hand, beamed. He sank into his pillow and sighed. "Much better. More respectful."

I snickered and he sneered at me. "What?"

"Respectful? But what if I don't respect you?" I crossed my arms.

"Then pretend. Or you may always call me "Colonel". Whichever feels more natural."

I groaned and picked up his basket. "Uhm, neither, thank you. Now, William, it's time for presents." I smiled at his grimace and dropped the basket onto his bed. I took out his "gifts" one by one and grinned when a hint of a smile tilted his lips. I set the remote, the CDs, the tape, everything he had hidden on the small tray table next to him. "I figured these would make you feel a little better. Everything is here." Except for the speaker that was now back on my shelf, the duster can, and the lighter. Fire and oxygen tanks didn't generally mix well.

He reached out and picked up the pack of gum. "I wasn't going to keep these." He grumbled.

"I know." I think. "But if you like them, you can borrow them. Do you want me to open that?" I asked when he pulled out a piece of gum.

"No... What is it?"

"Bubble gum. You chew it."

He raised a curious brow. "You just chew it? Like food? What's the purpose?"

I smiled. "You don't swallow it. You just chew until you get tired of it. Helps me with boredom." I took it from his hand and unwrapped it, holding it and inch from his face. "Open up and try it."

He eyed me skeptically before opening his mouth. I dropped the gum in and he began to chew. For several moments he was pensive, then he grimaced.

"Uh-ugh! What is this?!" He gagged and spit the wad across the room. Spinning back to me, he sneered. "What is wrong with your time? People enjoy that?"

I was too stunned to speak. I looked down at the wrapper in my hand and shrugged. "It's just gum... Oh." It was Big Red gum. I guess he didn't like the fresh cinnamon burn.

He sat quietly for a few seconds before gesturing to the basket. "What's that last item?"

I looked down and smirked, reaching for the small yellow envelope. "It's a card." I opened the envelope and pulled out the card, sliding it into his hand. He read the front and opened it cautiously, and I held my breath. High pitched laughter erupted from the card as the recording of Spongebob's laugh played. I had picked it up at the drug store on the way over and I couldn't resist. William quickly closed it and put an end to the irritating sound, looking up at me angrily.

"You find yourself to be real funny, don't you?"

"Sometimes, yes."

He shook his head and sighed. "It's getting a bit late, you should probably leave now."

I smiled widely and picked up my purse. "You're right. I'll be back tomorrow."

I heard a mumbled "yay" as I opened the door. Turning back one last time, I grinned. "Maybe I'll bring more presents."

He rolled his eyes. "Oh, joy. The excitement will positively eat me alive tonight. How ever will I be able to sleep?"

I laughed and shut the door behind me.

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I visited William for the next two days and got excited when his doctor told me he could come home the third day. Overall, his stay had lasted a week. I would have tried to run away too.

When I went to tell him the news, I found him reading a pocket Bible. Smiling, I sat down in my usual spot and moved the small lamp to help him see better.

"I didn't know you were religious." It was an interesting discovery.

"I'm not." He mumbled, shutting the book and laying it across his lap.

"Then what's with-"

"It's familiar." He interrupted and looked up at me curiously. "Why are you smiling like that?"

"I have good news." I smiled widely. "Doctor says you can leave today." I saw the look of relief cross his face for an instant before he sneered.

"Hurray. I'm surprised they're letting me leave before the Chinese water torture." His voice was unusually soft despite the sarcasm.

"Someone's in a bad mood."

"You noticed? Damn, I was trying so _very_ hard to hide it."

I smirked and suppressed a laugh. "They sedated you again."

"Ah, you guessed it." He seethed a moment before shrugging. "Apparently, you're not allowed to threaten the nurses."

I looked up as his doctor stepped into the room, smiling a mile wide. "Well, Colonel, I guess you heard the news? Excellent. Now before you go, you need to fill out these forms and-" the man reached a hand into his long white coat and pulled out a pen. Scribbling on a small pad of paper, he ripped off a piece and held it out to me. "-get this prescription filled out. One pill at lunch and one pill at bedtime. They may make you drowsy or thirsty. If you feel overly tired, sore, or see a visible change in the wound," he directed a glance at William, "come back immediately." He clapped his hands happily. "Looks like you're all set. Be careful now." He smiled and quickly left the room after handing William his release papers. William then proceeded to reach down and drop the papers into his bedpan.

A minute later, a nurse entered and removed the IVs, bringing along the clothes that William had been wearing when he was admitted. I frowned, I hadn't thought of bringing him clean ones... We left the room so he could dress and he did so with remarkable speed. After only a few seconds he flung the door open and stepped past us.

When I didn't immediately follow, he turned and sneered. "Well let's hurry along, shall we?"

I led him out of the hospital as the nurse followed behind us with the wheelchair, asking him repeatedly to please sit. He just sneered and marched on, refusing to agree to such an idiotic request. Once in the car, he was flustered and moody and I was tempted to push him from the vehicle and drive away. I took that as a sign I had mentally recovered from his near-death experience.

He calmed down some as we rode home, and he barely looked up from his lap. Occasionally he would look out the window, but he always returned his gaze downward. When the silence got the better of me, I smiled.

"I noticed that your doctor called you "Colonel"."

I glanced over as William grinned and sat up straight. "Yes. It would seem that you're the only one I've encountered with a disobedience problem."

"Oh yes, I'm the one with behavioral issues." I sighed and shook my head. "Why are you so... mean?"

"Mean?" He snorted. "Mean gets things done."

"Oh, so you're telling me you can't get things finished with a polite attitude?"

"That's exactly what I'm telling you. Or at the very least trying. You make everything so incredibly difficult."

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "Williaaaaaaaaaaaam..." I groaned.

"Good Lord! Please try to call me something else."

"Why? Why does it bother you so much for me to call you by your name?"

He turned in his seat and stared at me. "Amy." It was crisp and polite... and it sounded completely wrong. "How many times have I addressed you by your first name?"

I thought about that for a moment. "I... I actually have no idea. Once?" How many times had he actually said my name?

"Precisely, Amy." Again, it sounded odd. I flinched slightly and nodded.

"I see what you mean."

"Excellent. Now Miss Charles, perhaps you could refer to me in a more comfortable manner on my behalf?"

I gave a defeated sigh and nodded once more. "So what would you like? Tavington or... Colonel?" They felt weird on my tongue but I guessed it was only fair to trade.

"Colonel, if you please."

"Okay... Colonel." I scrunched my nose as if I had bitten something sour and said the word over in my head. Colonel. Colonel, colonel, colonel...

"Oh Wi... Colonel, I have one last surprise for you when we get home." I grinned happily and peeked over at him. He gave a pitifully attempted smile and sighed.

"What?"

"You'll just have to wait and see. I brought it home last night and I think you'll be happy to see it." Not to mention that with any luck he would get some use out of it.

"Try not to get your hopes up, I've never been one for surprises."

"We'll see." I smiled one last time before reaching over and turning on the radio.

William jumped when a talk show sounded, the man and woman debating whether or not Britney Spears would suffer another breakdown. I ignored his reaction and flipped the stations until a decent song came on. When I was satisfied, I sat back and hummed along, only to be interrupted by a sound of disgust.

"What is that horrid sound?" I turned, shocked, and gaped at William.

"Wha... horrid? This is Nickelback..."

"I have no idea what a nickle-back is, but I can almost hear acceptable instrumental beats in the background... Tell me this isn't what you call music." He seemed horrified at the thought.

"Well... yeah. This is music. Good music, may I add. I love this band..." I finished defensively and frowned when he reached curiously for the buttons and changed the station.

"You call this music? What has your time done? Where is the English flute, the silky violin..." He stopped at last on the classical station and smiled at the smooth instrumental sound. "Listen to this, it's not exactly the same, but it's much, much better." Seemingly satisfied, he leaned back in his seat.

"Well I don't think so. This music is... just old." That was the only way I could think to describe it. It sounded old.

He suddenly sat rigidly in his seat and stared at his lap.

"Wil-"

"How far is your home?" He interrupted angrily and I wondered what I had done this time.

"Uhm... about twenty minutes-"

He mouthed the words to himself and sighed softly. I stared down the road and kept my thoughts to myself for the next ten minutes. Questions and curiosities played through my head, and I turned each one over, examining it. There were so many things I wanted to know. Finally, I figured a few questions wouldn't hurt.

"William, what's your middle name?" I didn't see anything offensive about the question and when he remained tense I knew I was mistaken.

"My father's bloody name." He practically spit out his answer like it had a bad taste. I reconsidered whether or not I really wanted to question him.

"Uh... cool. I was named after my Aunt." I gave an exaggerated smile to balance out his sneer. I was quiet a minute before clearing my throat and continuing. "What about your age? How old are you?"

He smiled in an odd, almost ironic way. "Twenty-seven. On my last birthday I was twenty-seven years of age."

I was caught off guard by his answer, I had never thought he was that old. While it was a young age, I had never realized there was almost a ten years difference between us. That is, unless, he was ten years younger than me. I wouldn't have been surprised if he had said seven.

"My brother is twenty-seven." Twenty-eight in two months, actually.

"You have a brother?" I nearly choked I was so shocked by his question. Did he actually seem interested?

"Um, oh, yeah. His name is Adam."

"You've never spoken of him. Do you have any other siblings?"

"No, just Adam..." I looked over at William in awe and wondered what brought about his sudden change in personality. I leapt at the opportunity to keep him talking. "Do you have any siblings?"

His face hardened and I knew I had committed conversation suicide. Not even expecting an answer, I turned my attention back to driving.

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I turned the handle and gave the front door a good shove. It groaned open and I stepped inside, flicking on the overhead light before turning towards William. He shut the door behind himself and locked it, raising an eyebrow when he noticed I was watching him.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

I smiled and slung my purse over one of the diningroom chairs.

"Ready to see your last present?" I asked with a grin, and that seemed to make him reluctant to agree.

"If it's yellow-"

"It's nothing Spongebob, I promise."

Finally he nodded and crossed his arms. "Fine. Don't expect much, I told you I'm not one for surprises."

I rolled my eyes and sighed half-heartedly. "William, you're really a mood killer." I turned and headed to the back of the hall before retreating into my room. Seconds later, I reemerged and stood at the entrance to the livingroom. William was sitting on the couch, and he looked up when I entered, giving me a look of distaste. "Ready?" I smiled stupidly.

"Yes, already. Let's not take all day." He was downright irritable.

Finally I gave up on any sort of positive reaction and padded over to where he was sitting, slumping down next to him. Twisting my arm from behind my back, I held out a small pile of folded clothing. "Ta-dah!" I faked the enthusiasm, but hesitated at the look on his face. His furrowed his brow and lifted a hand reluctantly before dropping it back to his lap.

"What... my..." He lifted a hand again and reached over, taking his uniform from me. He unfolded the jacket and held it out in front of him, gazing at it like one would stare at a family heirloom. I watched him silently as he looked over it, running his thumbs across the collar. "It looks so clean..." A sudden, quizzical look came across his features and he pulled the material to his face, inhaling. "It smells so nice." He turned to me and I realized I was smiling excitedly.

"I washed it."

He held it at arm's length and examined it again. A look of smug satisfaction took over his features for a brief moment before a frown replaced it. He draped the jacket across his lap and ran his hand down it, stopping halfway down and running his fingers over a hole in the bright red fabric.

I gasped, horrified. "Did I rip it in the washer? I'm sor-"

"No." He cut me off blankly. "You didn't do anything."

I realized with a subtle flinch why it must have been there. "I could sew it for you..."

"No." He stared at the hole for another minute before turning to me. "Thank you, for returning it to me."

I smiled softly. "You're welcome, Colonel." I leaned back against the couch arm and watched him stare at his uniform a little longer.

The next day...

"I'm so hungry." I grumbled at my cup of tea, and looked up when William sighed. "And it's your fault, you know." I pouted my lips and dropped my chin onto my open palm.

"How is your hunger my fault?" He asked disinterestedly, sipping his own tea.

"I shop in bulk amounts so that I don't have to shop often. You used months worth of breakfast mix all at once. So now, I'm hungry."

He turned with a sigh and glared at me. "You have a knack for complaining. Have you found it difficult to make friends?"

I glared back before giving a small smile. "I wasn't complaining. Just simply explaining."

"Complaining, explaining. Potatoes, Pototoes."

I snickered and stood up, stretching and then turning with a grin. "Well, let's "hurry along" as you say. Wouldn't want to take all day." I headed for the door, stopping only long enough to step into my boots.

"Take all day to do what, exactly?" He asked, turning in his seat to eye me.

"I'm going shopping, and you're coming with me."

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**AN: Well, there you have it! As for Tavvy's middle name and age, I took a total guess. (Which I'm sure you know.) I did look on different sites for opinions and no one agreed on a name or age so I pulled something out of the air. I figured 27 wasn't too old or too young, but feel free to pretend whatever age you like haha. Thanks for reading! Constructive Criticism more than welcome! **


	7. Stupid Girl

**Hello everyone! Its been a long, long, long time since my last update. For those who used to read this story, I hope you're still interested. For new readers, I hope you enjoy. This is a short chapter but I was excited to post again so here it is. I hope I'm forgiven and promise to try and begin updating regularly again! I have a renewed love for this story and I'm looking forward to continuing. I wanted to thank everyone who commented and requested the story continue, it's really inspiring. I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint! Enjoy!**

****

"Are you ready?" I peeked into the car, eye level with the man inside. He continued to fuss with his shirt, tucking it in, then pulling a bit of slack. Rinse and repeat. "Oh come on, already!" I sighed and leaned against the van parked next to me.

William turned, a vicious sneer on his lips. "Stop that incessant nagging will you? One's cleanliness is next to godliness. Appearance is everything. Though I'm sure you know nothing of such matters. Look at your attire. Haggard and indecent; one would say you resemble a typical tavern wench."

I stared into his eyes for several seconds before speaking again. "Are you done, mother?"

He inhaled slowly and gave a wide smile. "Ready when you are."

I led him to the automatic doors and beyond, stopping short at the buggy claim when I realized he wasn't behind me. I turned, searching, and spotted him in the entryway staring at the doors. He ran a hand over the frame, looking closely.

"How extraordinary..."

"William?" I called him softly, hoping the curious shoppers wouldn't hear me. He looked up and caught my stare before standing and striding over. I gave him credit for keeping his head held high. "Now where were we? Ah, breakfast."

I found the cereal aisle quickly, and selected my favorite cereal even faster. "Do you want some cereal? You can get your own box if you'd like." He was already standing before a box of Cap'n Crunch, nose centimeters away.

"Hmm... This one looks promising." He picked the box up and dropped it into the cart in one swift movement. Afterwards, he walked ahead.

"You're welcome," I sighed to myself as I followed after him.

William led the way down each aisle, studying the containers slowly and inquiring as to their use. He found the bread selection extra interesting and we couldn't proceed forward until I agreed to buy a pack of hot dog buns. I'm sure hot dogs must have existed since the dinosaur era but whatever William wants, William gets. And William also wanted cheese filled hot dogs. And instant Mac 'n Cheese. Then Spaghetti O's, then pizza rolls, pop tarts, chicken noodle soup, more chicken noodle soup, and other assorted canned or boxed foods.

I looked at the cart and tried to mentally calculate the total. I came up with... a lot.

"So Wi- Colonel, excuse me, would you like to try a fruit? Or a vegetable? Or something other than pure carbohydrate, fat, or sugar?"

William sighed and shoved a hand into the pile, pulling out some Fig cookies. "Fruit filling."

"Um, yeah. Hardly. I'm gonna get some fruit, you're not allowed to put anything else in the cart, okay? Okay."

I grabbed some bananas, apples, oranges, carrots, lettuce, celery and a few other things, feeling better about these purchases. When I turned around, however, William was missing.

"Oh Jesu-, uh, errrr!" I looked around, seeing him nowhere. "William!" No answer.

It took me nearly fifteen minutes to hunt him down again. When I did, he was standing in the aisle that separated men's and women's clothing.

"There you are! What were you thinking-" I tried to scold him but he beat me to the punch.

"What is the meaning of this? What, is it appropriate in your time to sell men's under garments right beside the women's? Where I come from, one should never see the under clothing of the opposite sex until they are married..." He choked out a few random sounds, obviously offended.

I covered my mouth with my hand, trying to mask the giggles. "Are you, uh, embarrassed, Colonel?"

Within a quarter second he was turned, staring at me with that unpredictable grin of his.

"No. I suppose you could say that I've seen my fair share of lady's delicates..." He reached out and lifted a lace bra off the rack, holding it in front of himself and observing it. "Very soft..." He looked at me again. "I believe you have this one, do you not?"

I instinctively brought a hand up, discreetly covering my chest while looking away.

"You left it in the washroom." He put it back on the shelf and chuckled. "No, I was simply questioning the absence of propriety." He pulled the cart away from me and took the handle. "I rather think you're the one who's embarrassed." With that, he strolled away.

I cleared my throat and felt ashamed at the heat in my face. I would never have reacted that way if anyone else had said what he did. Something about his gaze... I shivered.

We were done shopping, but William wasn't done looking. He was amazed at the size of the store, and everything in it. The electronic department stunned him.

Phones, radios, laptops, everything.

"I never..." He shook his head. "Amazing... simply amazing."

While he was purring over the shiny toys, I was becoming irked by the women purring over him. I'd lost track of the number of women who had stared. I didn't like having attention on me but the Colonel was attracting eyes like a giant diamond.

"Will- Colonel can we go now?" I didn't think he heard me, but he looked over.

"Lead the way." He had an unnatural calm in his tone and a softness in his features. It caught me off guard.

I had an urge to speak but nothing to say. "Okay." I turned and took the cart with me, heading in the direction of the check-out.

He was quiet as I put the groceries on the conveyor belt. I paid and we were off to the parking lot. I was loading the bags into the trunk when he snapped.

"Could you please hurry up?" He grabbed the bags roughly and thrust them into the trunk, spilling things everywhere.

"Hey! Cool it!" I grabbed his hands and shoved him back. "That's almost two hundred dollars in there! What's wrong with you?" My heart was pounding and he was breathing like a bull.

"Me? What's wrong with you? You move with the speed of an elderly hag! Have you nothing better to do with your day than stand here?" He was at the door in a beat and glided into his seat, slamming the door after him.

I stood at the trunk for several moments trying to still my racing pulse. _He's crazy, that's all there is to it._ I repacked the spilled groceries and finished slowly, reluctant to get back in the car with William.

It was an uncomfortable ride back to the apartment, but at least William wasn't yelling. And, he was generous enough to help me carry the bags up to the house.

He disappeared while I put everything away but I heard the distinct hum of the television in the background. As I slid the last box of cereal over the fridge, I heard the tv click off and soft steps across the dining room. I peeked out and watched William gracefully open the door and exit the apartment. He didn't come back for hours.

****

I jerked awake and stared silently at the ceiling. Had I been dreaming? Probably but I couldn't recall. Then I heard it, a deep cough followed by a metallic thunk. I listened for several seconds, hypnotized by the sound. I sat up and tiptoed across the room, stepping into the hall. It was louder now, clearer. A light was on in the distance and I could see the glow reflected on the wall. I followed the odd noise to the kitchen but stopped short of going in.

William was hunched over the sink, hands spread and head down. He jerked and coughed, spasming violently. I registered the odor and wondered how I had missed it earlier. Alcohol.

"William..." I said it more to myself but the Colonel whipped around and a crazed gaze focused on me.

I took slow steps forward, afraid but captivated. Instead of complete thoughts, single words came to my mind. What? Odd. Why? Red. Swollen. Red. Blood. Red. What?

"William, what did you do?" I didn't expect an answer. His hands were clenched against the sink, knuckles both ghostly white and flushed red. His eye had the swollen appearance of a forming bruise. His lip was crusty with dried blood and moist vomit.

He stared at me like a crazed dog and I was drawn once more to his eyes. While the left was swollen nearly shut, the other was red as well. I reached a hand out and touched his shoulder, stomach churning wildly. "William were you crying?"

Immediately he roared and swung out, hitting me hard in the chest. I stumbled back, stopped by the counter and winded. All sympathy was replaced with panic.

"Will... William!" My anger flared and strange tears blurred my vision. "Leave! Right now, get out of my house!" I pointed to the door with a shaking hand and screamed at him. "I said get out!"

He seemed surprised, eye wide and curious. The lips that had been snarled twisted into a grin. Suddenly a barking laugh erupted from him. He laughed again and again, each louder and more disturbing than the previous. He was at me in two large steps and thrust his face a centimeter away. I could smell the alcohol and puke on his breath but was too scared to wince.

He smirked at me and eyed my face, taking a hard grip of my arms. I cringed and tried to pull them away. "What are you doing? Let go!" He tightened his grip and laughed again.

"I suggest you watch yourself, little girl. I don't take orders well." He sneered and released me, stepping back to the sink in time to gag once more into the basin. He ran his sleeve over his lips and looked over his shoulder. "Get to bed."

I stared mutely, frozen to the spot.

"Now!" He screamed and I took off, back in my room before I realized I was out of the kitchen.

I locked the door and ran to the phone, picking it up and dialing nine, one- My hands shook violently and I sobbed. Again I tried, nine, one- nine... nine... I had never been so scared... but I couldn't do it. Do it! My mind scolded me. He's crazy! He'll kill you next time! You don't even know him...

I couldn't erase the picture of his eyes. Wild, rimmed with red, glossy. I knew he was crying... And now I'm crying. Do it. Call the pol-

I put the phone down. _Stupid girl_.


	8. Poptarts and a Body Guard

_Stupid girl... stupid_... I opened my eyes a crack and yawned, stretching out my fingers and toes. I felt an ache and stopped, remembering the night before. A bird chirped and I closed my eyes tightly in frustration. _What the hell was last night about?_ A different bird called and I rolled over to view the clock. 8:15 am. _Crazy bastard_. I sat up and dropped my toes to the floor. _Does he think he can act like that and get away with it? I let him into my house, fed him, clothed him..._ I paused with my fingers on the lock, too scared to turn it. Who was I kidding? He's demonstrated his ability to get through locks before. If he had wanted to attack me he would have already.

Nevertheless, I opened the door quietly and crossed quickly to the bathroom. I freshened up and stepped into my slippers then examined the light but present bruises on both arms and the darker circle between my breasts. _He has to leave. Don't be an idiot. _I exited the bathroom hoping he was already gone. He wasn't.

I found William sitting silently at the table but when I entered, he stood and pulled a chair out for me. "Good morning. I've prepared breakfast if you're hungry."

"What?" I was taken aback by his manners. Nothing I'd expected from him came close to this.

"I said, good morning." He spoke softly and gestured to the chair. "Would you like some breakfast?"

"No! Are you crazy?" I threw my arms up. "You must be crazy! What kind of person- How could you- You're crazy!" I waved my arms around some more then dropped them, not sure what to say. "You... you need to leave. Now." I pointed to the door and looked away.

"Leave?" He repeated in the same polite tone.

"Yes... leave. Sooner than later please." I turned my back to him and frowned. I'd never been great at standing my ground. I was emotional. A people pleaser. I was spineless. God help me I was pathetic.

Silence followed briefly before he answered. "Yes, of course." I glanced up into a picture and watched his reflection as he pushed both chairs against the table and approached the door in three graceful steps. "Goodbye." He opened the door and was gone.

I stood still for over a minute, waiting for the door to open and a certain Colonel to stroll in, nostrils flaring. Another minute passed and I decided to clean up the breakfast William had prepared for me. It consisted of slightly burned toast, dry cereal and frozen pop-tarts. I ate two frozen strawberry pop-tarts and threw everything else into the trash.

After that I washed the bedsheets William had used, along with the clothes I had bought for him. Once dry, I threw them back into the washer. His deoderant, toothbrush and other trivial personal items went into a small cosmetics bag and under the sink.

The day went slowly and my mind wandered endlessly. I pictured the last time I ran out in the middle of the night to find William sitting in a damp cold field.

I growled irritably and turned off _Law & Order SVU_, tossing the remote across the room. It was his fault! He was the one who got drunk and... he shouldn't have... Stupid girl.

I sighed and made my way to the bedroom. Nothing a little sleep can't fix.

Five days later I could almost eat without feeling restless and guilty. Almost. I had hope that my life may return to normal some day. If Sara decided to let me, that is. After I let it slip that William had left she gave me quite the lecture about Karma and how throwing a man out into the wilderness was bound to come back around and get me. Somehow I couldn't bring myself to tell her about the night he turned into something dark, aggressive, dangerous. Something I couldn't live with.

But here I was, five whole days later, eating a bowl of Ramen noodles and almost not feeling nauseous.

Later I flicked off the tv and began my nightly ritual. Lock the door, shut the windows, close the blinds, brush my teeth, change into night clothes, and attempt to find a position comfortable enough to fall asleep.

I opened my eyes and waited for them focus before looking over to my alarm clock. It was 2:52 a.m. I yawned and rolled over, ready to drift back to sleep when I heard a floorboard moan. I was instantly alert and I sat up, listening for another sound. Sure enough another board groaned, then another. Someone was walking around.

I flicked on my bedside light and pushed the blankets away, sliding out silently. My heart was pounding as I made my way to the door, carefully avoiding the spots I knew would creak. At the door, I listened some more, hearing nothing. I turned the knob and peeked out, almost calling out to the invisible intruder.

Very slowly, I eased one foot into the cold hall, then another. My heart pounded in my ears and every inch of me was shaking. It was an eternity before I reached the living room and even longer before I build the courage to peak inside. Finally, I craned my neck around the corner and froze.

In the far corner stood a dark, hooded figure. I felt a scream rise in my throat but had the sense to cover my mouth before it erupted. I was frozen to the spot as the dark trespasser pocketed my iPod and unplugged the dock, slipping it into a backpack.

I felt totally helpless as I watched, too scared to even breathe. Suddenly, another figure emerged from the diningroom, approaching the thief swiftly. The rest happened so quickly I thought I was imagining it.

Once behind the intruder, the second figure whipped an arm around the burglar's neck and pulled back, lifting the shorter figure off the ground. Swinging around, the thief was thrown to the floor and pinned down. The scream I managed to stifle earlier made its way out and caught the attention of the attacking man. Taking advantage of the moment, the thief threw a punch and struck the other man. They wrestled for several seconds before the first intruder was able to crawl away and jump to his feet. Only a second behind, the other man climbed up and chased the thief through the dining room and out of the front door.

Even after they were both gone, my heart beat wildly and my legs felt like they would collapse under me. I took deep breaths, trying to calm my nerves. A minute passed before I gained the sense to get up and lock the door.

I jumped up and ran, or wobbled rather, to the door and slammed it shut. Just as I flicked the lock there was a soft knock. I screamed and jumped back, crawling towards the table.

"Miss Charles?" I recognized the voice at once and let out a shaky breath. "Miss Charles are you alright?"

I closed my eyes and sighed, standing up. I opened the door and looked up at two gray eyes.

The Colonel frowned and lifted a hand, extending it to me. "I believe this belongs to you." My gaze drifted down to my iPod but I hesitated to take the object back. My hands were shaky and once I lifted it from his hold, I feared I would drop it.

"Thank you." My voice cracked and I cleared my throat, turning around and dropping my iPod onto the table. I sunk down onto one of the chairs, gesturing for him to follow.

Wordlessly he stepped inside, shutting and re-locking the door. He made no effort to come any closer and chose instead to stand.

"So..." I began, rubbing my shaky fingers. "How exactly did you... ya know?"

"I've set up camp nearby. As I was preparing for sleep I noticed the man approaching your home. I only did what I thought best." I nodded. "Are you alright?"

I wanted to say yes. I almost said yes. But before the word was out a shaky sob escaped. I covered my face with my hands and cried into them. "I was so scared!" I felt a hand on my shoulder and jumped, looking up.

"There, there. Everything will be... fine. The intruder is gone, I assure you." He patted quickly like I was an animal, looking uncomfortable with the action. Taking a step back, he turned to the door. "I will suggest, however, a change of locks. The one you have currently is... rather ineffective. Obviously."

I felt a small, unexpected smile. "Really? You think?" I shook my head and grinned. "Turn on the light, please." I used the back of my hand to clear the tears from my cheeks.

The Colonel flicked on the light and I turned in my seat, looking into the living room. The thief's bag was open in the middle of the floor and the iPod dock was sticking out of the top. Standing, I crossed the room and picked it up, returning the item to its original position on the shelf. Once plugged in, the screen lit up and displayed the time. 3:04 a.m. I stared at the numbers until they reached an even 3:05 a.m.

I heard a floorboard creak and turned back to William. He was leaning in the arched doorway that separated the living room and dining room and in the dim light I noticed the patch of dry blood under his left nostril.

"You've got a bit of blood. There." I gestured to my own nose and he brought a hand up, gently touching.

"Ah, yes." The Colonel made his way to the kitchen and I listened as the faucet came on. Less then twenty seconds later he was back, standing in the doorway.

A silence followed where neither of us knew quite what to say. William was the first to speak.

"Yes, well, I suppose this is where I take my leave. Goodnight, Miss Charles." He bowed his head and turned to leave. Without thinking, I outstretched a hand towards him.

"Wait!"

He looked back, obviously surprised. "Yes?"

"Im scared." I blurted without thinking and nervously nibbled on one of my nails.

William grinned. "Scared? I can promise you that the odds of-"

"I know, everything should be okay. But with the luck I've been having, I wouldn't be surprised if every burglar or serial killer in within two hundred miles stopped by." I ran my fingers through my hair with frustration. "I just..." I dropped my gaze to the floor. "Would you stay... Please?"

He seemed to think it over, an unreadable expression on his face. "Yes. Perhaps you would like to return to bed? I will watch guard out here." A smirk played across his lips and I felt a bit of ease.

"Tempting, Colonel, but I'm afraid I'm wide awake now."

William raised a hand to stop me and grinned. "In that case, I will put on the tea."

I groaned and rolled over, trying to hide my eyes from the bright light shining onto them. I felt a nudge and moaned again, irritated.

"Wake up, Miss Charles." The soft voice convinced me to open one eye and peek up at the man leaning over me. "You have a letter."

I grimaced and sat up on the couch, snatching the letter from William and peering at the print. "I couldn't open this later why?" I blinked several times rapidly, trying to clear the fog from my vision.

With a 'humph' William stood, chin up. "Where I come from, news is always of the utmost importance."

I read the scribbled writing and jerked to attention. "It's from my brother. He never writes me..." I ripped the envelope apart, removing the letter. I read through the note, which consisted mostly of half sentences and illegible cursive. I smiled and folded the letter, slipping it back into the wrinkled envelope.

"I suspect you've received good news?" William's voice was smug, as if saying 'I bet you're glad I woke you up.'

"My brother is getting married..." I looked up at the Colonel and turned, dropping my feet to the floor. I lowered my gaze to his shirt and groaned. "Will... Colonel, were you cooking again?"

His face fell into a frown and his shoulders tensed. "I thought I would be polite and make you a nice breakfast. Especially after..."

I felt goosebumps on both arms at the memory of the night before. "Oh..."

William took a step forward and held out his arm for me to take. "My lady, would you please bestow upon me the honor of your presence as we indulge in brunch?" Though his words were kind, his face was tense as if he was being subjected to pain of some kind. I felt a smile and pushed my lips tightly together in an effort to control a giggle.

"Fine, whatever." I stood and linked my arm with his as a snicker of disgust escaped his throat.

"Fine, whatever. How very crude, indeed." He led me into the dining room and the sight caused me to falter.

The table was polished and decorated with fine china. There was a large flower arrangement in the middle and a variety of food set out. "It's beautiful..."

"I'm glad you're pleased." He dropped my arm and pulled out a chair, motioning for me to sit. I slipped into the chair and he circled the table taking a seat across from me. I examined the setup some more, transfixed by it. "I found the china in the bottom cupboard. I hope it's alright that I washed it and set it out."

I ran my finger along the rim of the shining white plate in front of me. "No, I don't mind." I flashed a small smile and let out a sigh, reaching forward to scoop some eggs onto my plate. The Colonel followed, taking bacon. We ate mostly in silence, and questions began to pull at my mind. When I could no longer stand pushing a sausage link around on my plate, I looked up.

"Colonel?" William glanced up from his plate, which was nothing but bacon and sausage, and wiped his lip on a napkin.

"Yes, Miss Charles?"

"I'm... curious... about that last night you were here." I toweled my hands with the napkin William had placed for me and dropped it onto my plate. "I don't understand what exactly happened and honestly I'm not comfortable with you here. I'm grateful for everything you did last night and this morning but..." I trailed off feeling awkward and hoped that he would say something, anything.

Silence continued for another minute, maybe two, before William wrapped a hand around his glass of orange juice and squeezed. "There isn't much to say. I can tell you that what I did to you was less than the measure of a gentleman but what is past is past. I cannot change it..."

"I know that it can't be changed but I want to know what could have possibly made you believe that it was okay to treat me like that!" I felt an anger rise inside me.

William's jaw tightened. "What do you want me to say? I went out and had a bit too much to drink. Got into a bit of trouble and then you..." He waved his hand irritably.

"I what?"

"You... cared!" He slammed his hands down onto the wood and rose to his feet. "You just strolled up and started caring about me! Colonel William Tavington is not weak! He does not need a young woman fussing over his trifle wounds like a mother!" He leaned over the table and I pushed back into my chair, startled. "Men fear me. I am the Butcher. I have taken bullets and returned to the battle field within hours. I am not weak. I have shown many of my own soldiers the error of showing emotions in my presence and I most certainly will not be treated like a helpless child." He sneered and took a step back. "Your affection is futile."

After his rant, the furious Colonel stormed out the front door. I listened as his steps decended the cement stairs outside until the sound faded into silence.

I waited to see if William would return and when he didn't, I cleaned up breakfast and left the plates in the sink. I should've known that any attempt at drawing William into a conversation was useless. As always.

The afternoon came and went, and the only good thought in my mind was my brother. I tried calling him several times and my guess was that his phone was dead. He had never been very responsible with his cell phone and he didn't own a house line. Why did the men in my life irritate me?

When seven rolled around and I was still playing Mario Kart, I knew I had to find something more entertaining or I would likely go mad with boredom. I slipped into my boots and coat and headed off.

Nearby... where exactly was nearby? William had explained that his camp was set up close by but who knew what that meant? I reached the bottom of the stairs and turned left, strolling to the end of the building. I didn't see anywhere for him to go; on both sides of the street was lines of houses and a small convenient store. Turning at the corner of the old brick apartment complex, I peeked into the back yard. Unlike the last time, William was not there.

Nevertheless, I walked back hoping to find some sign of where he'd gone. In the back, there was a row of trees, neatly trimmed separating the property from the neighboring woods. Halfway across the lawn I spotted the indention of boots in the mud and followed the tracks to the boundary. I pushed some of the branches out of the way, stepping carefully between the trees and continued to trace the steps in the mud. A few minutes in, the foliage was too thick for the tracks to leave traces and I was left with no trail. I would have continued on but the sun was beginning to set and my navigation skills were pathetic. I turned around and took one step towards home.

"Lost, little girl?" I jumped and spun on my heel, coming face to face with the Colonel.

"Where did you come from?" I placed a hand on my speeding heart and sighed. "Don't sneak up on me, I hate that." He smirked and brought a hand up to my face, tucking a few strands of brown hair behind my ear.

"I don't sneak. If you had only been listening, girl, you would have heard me quite clearly."

I rolled my eyes and shoved his hand away. "Don't call me _girl_. I'm a lady." I smiled and gazed down the path. "Anyway... I was hoping to stumble upon your little camp."

He raised a brow. "My camp? I don't see why-"

"I just wanna make sure that you're not about to burn the whole forest down... you know, the basics." William stared at me for several seconds as if deciding what to say. Finally he turned and began walking, not looking back.

"If you'd like to see, I suggest you follow."

I quickly took up step behind him and he led us deeper into the woods. After what felt like an hour of walking I sighed.

"Are you sure you know where you're taking me?" He didn't answer and continued forward. Barely thirty seconds later I spotted a tent ahead. Distracted by the sight, I stumbled over a small log and tripped. I yelped in surprise and winced, landing on my arm. Before I could even move William was there pulling me up roughly.

"Why are you so clumsy?" I looked down and saw that my coat had protected my arm but my hand had a deep scratch across the top.

"Ow..." William grunted and grabbed my hand, jerking me behind him as he headed for the camp. Once there he let go and disappeared inside the tent. Hand forgotten, I looked around the site.

The land around the tent had been cleared of debris and the fire pit was surrounded by rocks. A clothesline stretched between two trees and multiple shirts were hanging. William emerged from the tent and stomped back to me. Taking my hand, he turned it over and poured water over the cut. I cringed and looked away, continuing to observe the camp.

"So Colonel, where did you get all the clothes?"

William groaned irritably and twisted the lid back onto the water bottle. Next he wrapped what looked like a piece of clothing over my palm and tied it.

"Thanks... but you didn't answer my question." The Colonel dropped my hand and strolled over to the fire pit, taking a seat.

"I borrowed them." He tossed some twigs into the pit and began the process of what I assumed was starting a fire.

"You stole them! William!" I crossed the small lot and sat across from him.

"I borrowed! Do you not listen, woman?" He worked furiously to get the fire started and I crossed my arms.

"Tell me, Colonel. How exactly did you see the thief enter my house from all the way out here?"

He sighed. "I was... borrowing."

I laughed and leaned back against a large log. "You spotted a thief while being a thief. I can't believe this."

"Bloody- If you are only here to nag..." I watched as the sparks turned to a small flame. "Ah, here we go." William relaxed against a tree and crossed his legs at the ankles.

I watched the flames grow larger in the pit as the twigs burned and ignited the logs. "Hey, you don't happen to have any s'more stuff do you?"

"What is it that you need more of?" He mumbled from across the fire.

"Nothing, nevermind." I rolled my eyes. The 300 year old man act was getting old. "Hey, William? What year were you born?"

"1756."

I double checked the math in my head and frowned. He was fast.

"Hey, William?"

"Yes?" He growled deeply and burrowed against the tree.

"What's your middle name?" I peeked around the fire and saw his face tense though he never answered.

"Hey, Captain?"

"Colonel." He quickly corrected me.

"Damn. Colonel?" He ignored my call and turned his face away from me and the heat. I pouted and returned to watching the flames grow by the minute. I zoned out until a loud crackle sounded in the pit, causing me to nearly yell out. When the Colonel didn't so much as twitch I sat up and peeked over the fire. He was breathing steadly. "Will?" He didn't respond. "It's getting dark." I waited for something, and received nothing. "Colonel William Tavington?" Again nothing.

I watched him for several minutes and my mind wandered over everything I knew about the man in front of me. He was so natural about his charade. Every lie perfect... perfect. Every fact accurate. As though he had either spent time to create this character or he had really lived his life believing he was Colonel William Tavington. It was likely that he was a brilliantly talented actor, but how the act benefited him in any way was a question.

"William... Who are you? Really?" At that point I didn't expect any answer. I nestled back against the log and sat patiently as the last rays of daylight faded away.

I felt like I was floating. Or rather swaying, perhaps. I opened my eyes in alarm and looked straight into the gray stare of the Colonel, who was carrying me bridal style against his chest.

"Will-" I started to protest only to be squeezed so tightly against the man that it became impossible to even breathe.

"Silence. The whole reason I didn't wake you was to avoid the positively irritating sound of your voice." He spoke with a growl and loosened his hold, allowing me the pleasure of a deep breath.

"But-" He squeezed again and scowled.

"I can keep this up all night, if you'd like." I narrowed my eyes and started to struggle in an attempt to get down. "Stop fighting me, its difficult enough for you to navigate in the daylight. I will not watch you struggle in the darkness. It is much too far of a walk." I continued to thrash, at this point fueled by my need to breathe. I heard a deep sigh and felt my legs fall, feet hitting the ground and strong arms supporting me. The moment the hands released me, I stumbled backwards, landing on my butt with an 'oomph!'

"I don't know why," I started as I pushed myself back up, "you always have to be so... assertive. And my voice is not annoying." I wiped my palms on my jeans and jogged to catch up to the Colonel who was already far ahead of me. I heard light mumbling and sneered. "I can hear you!"

"No, you cannot." William barked back at me.

"Yes, I can." I insisted, catching up to him.

"If indeed you had heard me, I suspect you would not be walking so closely to me now." He had a pleased smirk on his face and I sneered.

Before I could even retort I tripped again. When back on my feet it wasn't long before I fell once more. After only a few minutes, William's grumbling grew increasingly harder to hear and I was realizing my fear of the dark. "William... wait up!" I hopped over a log and grinned in triumph before being swatted in the face with a branch. "William!"

In a matter of seconds William was standing before me, ever present evil smile. "Did I hear you call, madam?"

"Wi-"

"Hm, suppose not." He began to turn away and I shot out a hand.

"Colonel!" I corrected myself angrily and carefully navigated through some brambles.

"Ah, you did call. Would you like some assistance?" He stood at full height, shoulders back and chin held high with victory.

"Yes." I grumbled, pouting.

"I'm afraid I didn't catch that."

"Yes! Yes, you ass. Up I go!" I stomped up to him and crossed my arms.

"Alright, if you say so..." He quickly lurched forward and kneeled, grabbing the backs of my legs.

"What are you doing? Will-" I was cut off as he stood and flung me over his shoulder. "What are you doing? This is crazy-"

"Shut up or the wolves will hear you." His voice was cold but I could almost see the grin. "I tried to be a gentleman the first time but you wouldn't let me. So now we do this the hard way."

I tried to push myself up by using his back but with each step I was thrown back down. I gave up quickly and let myself drop, face staring directly into his butt. I watched it move as he walked and smiled.

"Colonel?" I finally broke the silence when I began to recognize the surroundings and knew we were close.

"Yes, Miss Charles?"

"You have a huge butt. Do you like squats?" He stopped so suddenly that I bit my lip, a growl sounding from his throat. I waited for a brutal tongue lashing that never came. Instead, I plunged face first towards the ground. I screamed and held out my hands, stopping short of the earth.

"Don't forget that I am holding you." His voice was deep and threatening. My knees screamed in pain and begged to bend as they were forced straight by his hold. "Stupid, girl." He bounced, pulling me back onto his shoulder. With another soft jerk I fell back into his cradled arms. "Say nothing more and I will have you home shortly."

I decided to heed his advice and kept my mouth shut. Less than five minutes later I could see the outline of the apartment through the remaining trees. I sighed and wiggled my toes in an effort to awaken my legs. "Will- Colonel you can put me down now." I tried to swing my legs from his grip and winced at the painful tingling sensation.

"Not yet." He grumbled.

"But my legs are asleep and it hurts and I can see the house from here." I tried to step down again and succeeded in jamming an elbow into his ribs.

"Alright! If you would just stop thrashing-" William lowered me to the ground and before I could even adjust my numb legs to my weight I toppled backwards, grabbing at his thigh in reflex. My fingers clutched at his jeans in an attempt to catch myself and caught hold of something else instead. When I landed on my butt and realized what I had done, I pulled my hand back fast enough to slap myself.

"Oh, jeez, William I'm sorry..." I turned over, carefully climbing onto limp legs. "Really, I..." He stared straight ahead with a look that cause me to wince. I cleared my throat and wiped the dirt from my behind. "Uh... did I hurt you?"

"No." He stared at nothing for a moment longer before inhaling deeply and running his hands from their position at his sides up to his lower back. Puffing his chest out, he turned to me. "I suggest we continue on." His words were hard and forced and I didn't see his teeth ever separate from their clenched state. With that, he began forward.

I felt a shiver and ran my hand up and down my side, cleansing my palm. It was a silent journey and he reached my doorstep two minutes before I did. It did seem, however, that by the time we were face to face again he had calmed down. As much as I could expect from him, anyway.

I reached the door, eyes down. "Here we are, Miss Charles. I bid you goodnight." Without another word he began to descend the stairs.

"Wait, William." He stopped mid step and turned to face me.

"Yes?"

"It's really dark and it is quit a walk back to your... camp. Would you rather stay here... for tonight?" I wrapped my fingers around the door knob and waited.

"I will be fine, I assure you. It's actually less dark than I'm familiar with." He gazed at a streetlight and frowned.

I bit the inside of my lip and peered into the dark window. "Well... I hear it's supposed to rain tonight so..." I lied softly.

Seeming to understand, he sighed. His lip twitched and his eyes softened. "If you're feeling lonely, you need only say so."

I smiled as he came back up the stairs and turned the knob, taking the first step into the dark apartment. Flicking on the lights as he went, he inspected every room of the house. Feeling better, I took a seat on the couch and settled down for the night.

The next morning was warm and bright. I stepped out of the shower and fluff dried my hair with a towel, enjoying the silence. I dressed in a loose college football t-shirt and some old shapeless jeans. Looking in the mirror I began to slowly apply the first makeup I'd worn in almost a week. I was as far as the eyeliner when a blood-curdling scream sounded from the living room. I jumped, simultaneously poking myself in the eye and smearing a line to my temple. I dropped the stick and growled, storming out of the bathroom and down the hall.

"William! What the hell are you yelling abou-" I was seized by a pair of rough hands and dragged to the television.

"What the bloody hell is this?" William gestured angrily to the tv which was on the history channel. "How is this possible? Tell me how!"

"What? I don't understand!" I watched as the screen showed soldiers running across a field. When both colors of uniforms were visible I realized it was a war documentary. "The Revolutionary War? What about it?"

He pointed a sharp finger at the image and growled. "The Revolutionary War? The voice tells me that the colonies won! Won a fight against His Majesty the King's great Army! Preposterous! I demand to know how this happened. Militia and that damned Ghost! Damn them all!" He was mid-damn when the doorbell sounded. I groaned and trudged to the door. I opened it and gasped in surprise.

"Adam! Why are you here?" I smiled widely as he threw his arms around me.

"Ah, baby sister. What do you mean? Didn't you get my letter?" He chuckled.

"Yeah, but I couldn't read half of it..."

"You've got a little something here..." He pointed to his eye the shrugged it off. "Well, how are you doing?"

"Oh, ya know..." I was interrupted as William screamed again. Adam peeked around me, unable to see into the livingroom.

"Is everything alright? Is Sara in there?" He raised a curious brow and I stepped in front of his gaze.

"Fine, everything is perfect. Just the... the tv. " I grabbed a handful of unruly brown hair and laughed. "You need a haircut! Oh, and congratulations! I'm so happy for you!"

Adam grinned and stood straight with pride. "Yeah, she's great. I can't wait for you to meet her! Speaking of which, I hate to rush but I'm in a bit of a hurry." He bent over and picked up two big bags, carrying them past me into the dining room. He dropped them without looking up and darted back outside. Grabbing two more bags, he brought them in.

I looked out and saw a baby carrier facing away from me. Before I could step out, Adam was there picking it up.

"I know it's been a while so brace yourself." He smiled and turned it around, bringing the baby boy into view. "Say hi to Auntie Amy, Benjamin."

"Wow, he's gotten so big!" I smiled and took the carrier, cooing at the tot.

"Yeah, I know, right? Oh, almost forgot..." Adam reached outside once more and pulled a tall thin bag out from beside the doorway and brought it inside, leaning it against the wall.

"Is that a tent?" I questioned slowly and Adam laughed loudly.

"You're funny, sis. So I gotta go, Jane is waiting at the airport and I don't want to be late. We'll talk when I get back though, okay!" He quickly kissed my cheek and then the baby's before turning and jogging down the steps. I was too shocked to speak until he was already at his car. "Bye baby sis! I'll call when I can. Love you both!" He disappeared into the vehicle and I finally found my voice.

"You're just picking her up, right?" I yelled over the sound of the engine starting up. A hand waved goodbye as the car sped off, leaving me in disbelief.

William roared in the background, on the verge of hysteria and I glanced down at Benjamin receiving a grimace. Not a second later he burst into loud, shaky sobs that almost masked William's outburst.

I absently strolled into the living room and found William on his knees in the middle of the floor, shouting at the narrorator as Ben was shouting up at me. It was nine thirty in the morning and I was standing in my tiny apartment with two screaming babies who had no idea what was going on.

**AN: Here we are again! :D Well, it wasn't a fast update but it wasn't two years either. I hope the chapter was enjoyable, believe it or not I am trying to incorporate bits that are bringing Amy closer to accepting that William is from some hundred years in the past haha. The next chapter will progress that quite a bit I hope o.0 but again I hope you enjoyed!**


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